Last updated: January 24, 2023, 9:25 AM IST
Senior Congress Leader and Member of Parliament, Rajmohan Unnithan, who attended the occasion, called the incident “unfortunate” and wanted the government to take action. (Image: Shutterstock)
Republic Day 2023: The saffron color of the flag represents courage. The white part represents peace and truth and the Ashok Chakra represents Dharma or moral law.
HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY 2023: India celebrates the 74th Republic Day on January 26 this year. It was on this day that the Constitution of India came into force in 1950. This day commemorates that Indian citizens can choose their own government. It is a national holiday in honor of the creation of the Indian Constitution.
Do you know the meaning of our national flag and how it has changed over the years? Here’s a look:
FIRST NATIONAL FLAG
India’s first national flag was designed in 1904 by Sister Nivedita. It was a red colored flag with yellow stripes on the edges, a Vajra in the center with the words Vande Mataram on either side.
FIRST TRI-COLORED FLAG
On August 7, 1906, the first tricolor flag was raised at Parsee Bagan Square (Greer Park) in Kolkata. It had three horizontal bands of blue, yellow and red, with eight stars representing the eight provinces of India at the time and the words Vande Mataram in the yellow band. The lower red stripe depicted the sun and a crescent moon and star.
READ ALSO: Republic Day 2023: Why is January 26 celebrated as R-Day? History and meaning
Mrs. Bhikaji Cama unfurled a similar flag in Stuttgart, Germany on August 22, 1907.
FLAG WITH UNION JACK
In 1917 a third flag appeared, with the Union Jack, five red and four horizontal bands, seven stars and a crescent moon with a star. It was hoisted by Dr. Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak during the Home Rule movement.
SWARAJ FLAG
In 1921, freedom fighter Pingali Venkayya designed the Swaraj flag. The top band was white, the middle band was green, and the bottom band was red. A Charkha or spinning wheel was scattered among the three sections and represented India’s independence from British rule.
ASHOK CHAKRA REPLACES CHARKHA
In 1931 the green band went to the top, the white band to the middle with the Charkha in it and saffron replaced the red one at the bottom. Dr. Rajendra Prasad replaced the Charkha with the Ashok Chakra after India’s independence.
THE CURRENT FLAG
The current flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 July 1947 as the flag of the Dominion of India. When India became a republic, the design was retained.
Meaning
The saffron color of the flag represents courage. The white part represents peace and truth and the Ashok Chakra represents Dharma or moral law. The green belt represents fertility, growth and prosperity.
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