‘Make in India’ doesn’t make sense if national flag to be made of imported polyester: D K Shivakumar

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D K Shivakumar stated that Rahul Gandhi wanted to visit the national flag production centre at Bengeri here. The state Congress president said Gandhi’s decision came in the wake of the Union government’s move to amend the Flag Code of India by allowing it to be made of polyester and machine-made cloth.

“This is a threat for the entire khadi sector, where over 1.60 crore people from across the country work. I will shortly submit a report to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi about the situation of workers engaged in flag making. Rahul Gandhi may soon come to meet the workers here,” he said.

After visiting the national flag production centre of the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha (Federation) at Bengeri, and interacting with the workers there on Friday, Shivakumar stated that Rahul asked the state Congress president to submit a report about the situation.

“We welcome the Union Government’s plan to hoist the tricolour atop all houses on the 75th Independence Day. But khadi flags should have been encouraged, and orders should have been given to all khadi units across the country well in advance. Enough khadi flags could have been produced if orders were placed two years ago,” Shivakumar said.

According to him, the Centre should withdraw the amendment, and take steps to purchase the maximum number of khadi flags. If the national flag is not made of khadi and imported polyester is allowed for this, there would be no meaning in the ‘Make in India’ slogan, Shivakumar said.

The Congress would organise a 'Freedom March' in Bengaluru on August 15, in which about one lakh people were expected to participate carrying the tricolour. Maximum efforts were being made to buy all khadi flags, he said.