On the eve of the Republic Day, one person was detained here while trying to set on fire the Tri-colour made of plastic demanding immediate ban on its sale, the police said.
The person, identified as Devi Prasad Sengupta, was caught by policemen on duty while he took out a match box and threatened to set the flag afire at a busy crossing in Sakchi area.
Sengupta, who was taken into custody, said he had been opposing the sale of plastic flags for quite sometime as people do not show dignity to the National Flag made of plastic while disposing it of after a function.
According to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, whoever burns the National Flag within public view shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
Meanwhile, Clause 1.2 of the Flag Code says "The National Flag of India shall be made of hand spun and hand woven wool/cotton/silk khadi bunting."
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also issued a notification on January 15 saying since plastic flags are not bio-degradable like paper flags, these do not get decomposed easily and harm the environment.
