OOTY: Lowering of the National flag, hoisted by the district collector here at the government arts college ground to mark the Republic Day celebrations on Thursday, after the function was over by around 2 pm has stoked a controversy in the hills. While it is usual to fly the flag till 6 pm during the Republic Day celebrations and lower it down in a ceremonious way, it was really shocking to see the flag lowered in the afternoon after almost everyone dispersed from the hill venue on Thursday.

When asked about it, Dr P.Shankar, collector of Nilgiris, said, “I enquired the concerned police officials on this. The police officials said that since there were heavy showers at the fag end of the Republic Day function on Thursday, by around 2 pm, the cops lowered it from the pole in order to ensure that it did not get drenched in the rains. The police officials said that it can be lowered during rains” he explained.


However, R.Ravikumar, general secretary of the Nilgiris District Congress Committee, said that it was an insult to the National flag on Republic Day. “As per the flag code of India, the national flag when hoisted in open should be flown till sunset, irrespective of weather conditions. The concerned officials certainly erred in not adhering to the flag code. Proper action should be taken against those officials who were party to this insult to the National flag, that too on Republic Day” he demanded.