Even as a controversy rages over the Central government’s procurement of national flags, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishan Reddy has asserted that the “khadi industry in the country cannot meet such a huge demand.”
“We have given orders to all the khadi and cottage industries in the country. We need crores of flags for the Har Ghar Tiranga programme planned recently. They cannot meet the demand in such a short duration. You need to understand,” Mr. Krishan Reddy said while replying to a question posed by the media here on Sunday on the opposition parties’ objection to the tweaking of the Flag Code of India-2002.
Postal stamp on Pingali Venkaiah
The Union Minister said that the Central government was inviting the family members of Pingali Venkaiah who had designed the national flag for the Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi. The Union government would release a postal stamp in recognition of his services, he said.
When asked about Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s request to confer Bharat Ratna on Pingali Venkayya, the Union Minister quipped, “I am not aware of it. There are many more such demands from the Telugu States. However, we will discuss it.”
Mr. Kishan Reddy further said that ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas’ (Partition Horrors Remembrance Day) would be observed on August 14.
Families who suffered partition horrors would be invited to the meeting. People across the country were requested to take out a candlelight march on that day, he said.
When asked whether former Deputy Prime minister and senior BJP leader L.K Advani would attend that programme, he said, “All are attending.”
When questioned whether an invitation was extended to Mr. Advani, the Union Minister said, “We will invite him taking your (media) suggestion into consideration.”
MPs’ motorcycle rally
A jingle made by film celebrities and music composers would be released on August 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah would felicitate Pingali Venkaiah’s family members. MPs of all political parties were requested to participate in a motorcycle rally from the Red Fort to Vijay Chowk on August 3, he added.
BJP State president Somu Veerraju and former president Kanna Lakshminarayana were among other present.
