(Image source from: Now national flag to be hoisted prominently in universities})
A meeting chaired Thursday by HRD Minister Smriti Irani with Vice chancellors of 39 central universities has resolved to install the national flag “prominently and proudly” in their respective campuses. "At a central place in every university, the national flag will be flown prominently and proudly," the resolution passed at a meeting said. The resolution was moved by Sunaina Singh, VC of English & Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad.
"Nationalism just doesn't mean hoisting the flag and singing Vande Mataram. It is about showing your belief in the Constitution, it is about showing respect to the institutions which have made the country a democratic set up," Congress' R P N Singh said.
JNU VC M Jagadesh Kumar said, “It is a matter of pride for JNU to install the national flag on our campus. We will identify a suitable place and work on it.” JNU already has the national flag installed on the terrace of its administration block. Asked if authorities would plant another one, he said, “Those are details we will look into later.”
Aligarh Muslim University VC Zameeruddin Shah said, “One VC proposed this idea and it was supported by everyone. It was felt that installing the national flag is the right thing to do and it will instil pride in everyone. I will try to institute this in a day or two.”
Heads of Jamia Millia Islamia and Central University of Kashmir told that they too will identify a place to install the tricolour soon. The decision was met with mixed reactions.
Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah dismissed the idea. Rajya Sabha MP Naveen Jindal tweeted, “I have had a dream, a dream to see the Tiranga flying in all parts of the country. This is a dream come true for me.”
Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, “If hoisting the flag was all it took to address feelings of alienation, problems of Kashmir & North East would have been solved decades ago.”
Two VCs from south India were skeptical. They said the move might be seen as forced. "Why a resolution for the national flag? Most government buildings and universities fly it already," said one of them.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat attacked Irani over the decision, saying she (the minister) is so unused to seeing the national flag because "she belongs to the Sangh parivar which rejected the national flag at the time of Independence" and instead wanted the 'bhagwa jhanda' (of RSS).
By Premji
