Press Information Bureau, a Government of India body, has cleared the air on whether it is mandatory to buy the National Flag from the public distribution system shops, in order to get subsidized food grains. The clarification came on Wednesday amid reports that a ration depot holder had been forcing people to buy flags for Rs 20 each. Here’s what PIB said.

“Some social media posts claim that Govt of India has instructed denial of ration to people not buying a national flag. The claim is not true. No such instruction has been given by GoI. Errant ration shop has been suspended for violating orders of Govt & misrepresenting facts,” PIB tweeted.

The incident took place in Karnal where the authorities suspended the license of the depot holder for denying people rations and telling them that the government has made it mandatory to buy the national flag under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.

Anish Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Karnal, said, “We are giving Tiranga to people who are willing to buy it, at Rs 20 through PDS shops. We came to know a depot holder made ration beneficiaries forcefully purchase flags. Admin initiated stringent action against him and his license was suspended”.

He added that those who are willing can buy the flag for Rs 20 under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. However, nobody can be forced to buy flags.

BJP MP Varun Gandhi had attacked the government over the incident saying “it is shameful to collect the price of the Tricolour that resides in the heart of every Indian by snatching the morsel of the poor.”

The BJP government at the Centre has appealed to the masses to hoist the national flag to mark the 75th Independence Day. 

With inputs from ANI