TIA NEWS /
Centre on Thursday instructed all 46 Central Universities to fly the Tricolour atop a 207-feet tall flag mast “prominently and proudly” on their campuses to create s “strong India” feeling among students.
The first Tricolour will be hoisted at Jawahar Lal Nehru University JNU.
“At a central place in every university, the national flag will be flown prominently and proudly,” said a resolution adopted at a meeting chaired by HRD Minister Smriti Irani with the Vice Chancellors of Central universities.
The proposal for hoisting the national tricolour atop a 207-feet pole was put forward by Irani and unanimously endorsed by all the 46 Vice Chancellors, HRD officials said. She also put forth the proposal for hoisting the first such flag at JNU, which too was backed by all the VCs, they said.
Officials in HRD Ministry said as per the resolution all the central universities, including JNU, will have to fly the tricolor and the decision was taken to “symbolise a strong and united India” in the institutions of higher education.
Irani had called the meeting of VCs following widespread protest over suicide of dalit scholar of Hyderabad University Rohith Vemula.
The move attracted sharp reaction from the Congress which said nationalism doesn’t mean hoisting the flag and singing Vande Mataram and that it should be reflected in one’s belief in the Constitution. CPM also slammed government for the decision.
The decision came in the midst of raging row over alleged anti national activities and the arrest of JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charges.
“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.