Congress leader Hanumantha Rao calls for Bharat Ratna for National Flag designer Pingali Venkayya
Speaking about Pingali Venkayya’s legacy, the senior Congress leader said, “Pingali Venkayya presented the Tricolour to Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to Bezawada (now Vijayawada) in AICC’s two-day crucial session on April 1, 1921.
By Newsmeter Network
Hyderabad: Former MP and senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government to honour late Pingali Venkayya, the designer of the Indian National Flag, with the prestigious Bharat Ratna award.
“This is the only way justice will be provided to the creator of the Indian Flag. We will fight till the PM Modi government gives Bharat Ratna to Pingali Venkayya,” Hanumantha Rao said in an open letter on Wednesday.
Speaking about Pingali Venkayya’s legacy, the senior Congress leader said, “Pingali Venkayya presented the Tricolour to Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to Bezawada (now Vijayawada) in AICC’s two-day crucial session on April 1, 1921.
“We are all aware that Pingali Venkayya has been widely credited with designing the foundational version of the Indian National Flag (Tiranga) that had been adopted in its modified form on July 22, 1947. He designed the flag at Nandigudem Village, Nalgonda District, in 1921,” Rao said.
Modifications to the original design
Hanumantha Rao said the flag initially had red and green stripes representing Hindus and Muslims. On Gandhi’s suggestion, Pingali Venkayya added a white stripe to represent other communities in India. “This flag design has been in use informally at Congress meetings since 1921 and served as foundation for the Indian National Flag, which was officially adopted in its final form by the Constituent Assembly. He was a contemporary of Mahatma Gandhi and was with him during the freedom movement.
“It may be recalled here that the Government of India issued a postage stamp in his honour in 2009. Pingali Venkayya’s name was proposed for the prestigious Bharat Ratna in 2012. From then onwards, there are persistent demands from Telugu people to confer the honour.”
‘BJP honouring the flag, not the designer’
The senior Congress leader said that the BJP government at the Centre and the BJP leaders are organising Tiranga rallies but ignoring the flag designer. “The Union Government is giving importance to the National Flag while totally neglecting its designer, Pingali Venkayya. He deserves due honour and justice.”
