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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

President takes prompt cognizance

Mumbai: President Droupadi Murmu has taken immediate cognizance of a plea pointing at grave insults to the Indian Tricolour (Tiranga) in pubs and hotels, violations to the Flag Code of India, 2002, in the name of celebrating Republic Day and Independence Day. Pune businessman-cum-activist Prafful Sarda had shot off a complaint to the President on Jan. 26 but was surprised to receive a response from her office in less than 72 hours. Under Secretary Lakshmi Maharabooshanam in the President’s...

President takes prompt cognizance

Mumbai: President Droupadi Murmu has taken immediate cognizance of a plea pointing at grave insults to the Indian Tricolour (Tiranga) in pubs and hotels, violations to the Flag Code of India, 2002, in the name of celebrating Republic Day and Independence Day. Pune businessman-cum-activist Prafful Sarda had shot off a complaint to the President on Jan. 26 but was surprised to receive a response from her office in less than 72 hours. Under Secretary Lakshmi Maharabooshanam in the President’s Secretariat at Rashtrapati Bhavan, replied to Sarda on forwarding his complaint to the Ministry of Home Affairs for necessary action. It further stated that action taken in the matter must be conveyed directly to Sarda. “It’s a pleasant surprise indeed that the President has taken serious note of the issue of insults to the National Flag at night-clubs, pubs, lounges, sports bars and other places all over the country. The blatant mishandling of the National Flag also violates the specially laid-down provisions of the Flag Code of India,” said Sarda. He pointed out that the Tricolor is a sacred symbol and not a ‘commercial prop’ for entertainment purposes to be used by artists without disregard for the rules. “There are multiple videos, reels or photos available on social media… It's painful to view how the National Flag is being grossly misused, disrespected and even displayed at late nights or early morning hours, flouting the rules,” Sarda said. The more worrisome aspect is that such transgressions are occurring openly, repeatedly and apparently without any apprehensions for the potential consequences. This indicates serious lapses in the enforcement and supervision, but such unchecked abuse could portend dangerous signals that national symbols can be ‘trivialized and traded for profits’. He urged the President to direct the issue of stringent written guidelines with circular to all such private or commercial outlets on mandatory compliance with the Flag Code of India, conduct special awareness drives, surprise checks on such venues and regular inspections to curb the misuse of the Tricolour. Flag Code of India, 2002 Perturbed over the “perceptible lack of awareness” not only among the masses but also governmental agencies with regard to the laws, practices and conventions for displaying the National Flag as per the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, the centre had brought out the detailed 25-page Flag Code of India, 2002. The Flag Code of India has minute guidelines on the display of the Tricolour, the happy occasions when it flies high, or the sad times when it is at half-mast, the privileged dignitaries who are entitled to display it on their vehicles, etc. Certain violations attract hefty fines and/or imprisonment till three years.

Financial challenges can’t deter us: Desale

Rahul Deshpande says one cannot declare that people would not like a film before showcasing it


Rahul Deshpande

Mumbai: The Marathi film ‘Amaltaash’ was supposed to be released in March 2020. “It was the time when Covid pandemic had hit the world. The film was bought by Viacom 18. Our contract was signed. However, later they changed their mind. Satellite channels said they were not sure if the audience will be able to take such a deep and engagingly mature thought,” said Rahul Deshpande.


Written and directed by SuhasDesale, the film stars Rahul Deshpande, Pallavi Paranjape, Pratibha Padhye, Deepti Mate, Trisha Kunte in lead roles. Presented by Mugdha Srikant Desai, produced by Darshan Productions, Medium Strong Productions and One Fine Day, the film is scripted by Suhas Desale and Mayuresh Wagh.


Desale said, “We are still in the process of recovering the cost that was involved in making the film. We are looking for avenues. However, we immensely enjoyed the process of making the film and will not be deterred by the financial challenges coming our way.”


Emerging off beat film makers in the Marathi industry are habitual of struggle that has always been a part of a Marathi artist’s life who wishes to break the stereotype to make content that will make a difference to the audience, more so to the society. While all factors come together to suppress the growth of brilliant experiments, the quality and hard work finds its way to reach out to the masses.


A classic example of this being, the father of Indian cinema- Dadasaheb Phalke who was labelled as “mentally ill” by the society back then, when he gave up all his savings for experimenting with moving images, an initiative that introduced a new concept of cinema to India.


Deshpande said, “One thing is clear from the YouTube response. Audience longs for quality content. You cannot declare that people would not like a film before showcasing it.”


Rahul Deshpande, the grandson of late Vasantrao Deshpande is an established Marathi singer and is a popular face in every Marathi household. ‘Amaltaash’ was not his debut in acting. His work as the protagonist in the popular biographical film “Me Vasantrao” brought immense appreciation for him from all across the Marathi audience.

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