Hindustan Times
My country, my flag
Some weeks ago while driving through the streets of Mumbai, I spotted Jindal Mansion. I was not sure whether the house belonged to Navin Jindal, Congress MP. Then I spotted the national flag and was sure that it did. For those who have forgotten him, there is a “is” and “was” about Jindal: He is a Member of Parliament; he was a crusader: one who took on the Indian Government and questioned the Flag code of India.
Navin Jindal
The story goes something like this: In 2001, Jindal was pulled to court for flying the national flag on his company building. This he said he did because in the US his friends flew the US flag on their homes and offices. This Jindal felt should be the right of every Indian. He fought the flag case in the High Court and Supreme Court and won.
A year later, on January 26,2002 to be precise, citizens were allowed to fly the tri-colour. This made Jindal a household name. Two years later, Jindal contested an election, won the seat and entered the Indian Parliament; was hailed as a patriot and an inspiration for young Indians. A mention of Jindal and you thought of the national flag. But that was then. Now the name reminds you of steel and big businesses the family owns and successfully runs: Navin an integral part. Sad but true: the story of a crusader turned politician. No he did not carry the crusade further nor used his big money to spread the message of nationalism. Today the fighter is simply reduced to an MP like any other.
I cannot help but question this; and wonder whether the flag crusade was the route to Parliament. To be fair I think Jindal had it in him to fly the flag; he wanted to and he did. Parliament happened later. He could not have planned it. So while it is fair to de-link the crusade from politics, I cannot but conclude that politics took its toll on nationalism.
Today, Jindal is written more about the 45 horses and the polo farm he owns. He is also mentioned in the context of the shoe, which was hurled at him. It was in April this year when 62-year-old Rajmal Singh Saharan, a retired Principal, flung a shoe at Jindal in a meeting in his constituency, Kurukshetra. Saharan was upset at Jindal for not getting a job for his son. An extreme reaction but it is indicative of Jindal’s neglect of his people and commitment. Perhaps a strong conclusion but then it would not be easy for a Principal to resort to throwing a shoe.
A refreshing change from Jindal is Swati Pant. I have known her since she was a management student in Mumbai. She is now in Dubai. Every time she flashed her cell phone I spotted the national flag on her screen “When you live away from home you tend to cling to your roots” I said to myself and believed this till Swati Pant told me the unthinkable and actually unimaginable. She said: “Every time I am down and out and I look at the national flag, I think of the freedom struggle.
And I say to myself: However tough life may seem sometimes, my problems are nothing compared to what people have gone through to achieve freedom for the country. The thought is enough to lift my spirits”. I was astounded: What a noble thought and how true. Living in India and carrying nationalism on my sleeve as it were, I never thought of the national flag in this manner. I salute Swati: Living in Dubai, she has taught Indians like me to think differently; to see in the national flag the spirit of struggle along with the spirit of freedom; to value it as much as be proud of it.
Swati has, to my mind, surpassed Jindal : he fought a legal battle to fly the flag, won it but did not take the crusade any further. If he did, then not many heard of it. Swati fought no battles. Neither cry from rooftop that she loved the flag; or is proud to be an Indian. She carried the sentiment close to her heart. At best as a screen saver on her cell phone: “People carry pictures of their child,a parent or a sibling, sometimes a pet. But to me nothing is more dear or sacred than the Indian flag” she told me while driving her red Porsche her husband had gifted her.
Swati is a silent Indian: goes about her business without thrusting her nationalism down anyone’s throat. Yet in her silence she has taught many Indians to think differently and treat the flag as their anchor. In the process she has bettered Jindal. My view.
(4 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading ...Posted by Kumkum Chadha on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Filed under India · Tagged Congress MP, Jindal Mansion, national flag, Navin Jindal, tricolour
Kumkum ji,
Among others who have had a tryst with the national flag is me. It was around 2004 that Uma Bharti was booked by the Karnataka Police for attempting to hoist the national flag at the Idgah Maidan at Hubli. It was at that time that she was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. The then Dharam Singh government pursued the matter vigourously and summons were issued to her relating to a matter of 1991. She however decided to make it a political issue and decided that she would undertake the Tiranga Yatra beginning at Hubli, Karnataka and culminating at Madhya Pradesh via Maharashtra. If you recall, elections were to take place in Maharashtra and in some parts of Karnataka- which was a prime reason for her to undertake the yara.
On a fair assessment of the facts, I referred to the Representation of the People Act and found that such an action is wholly impermissible and indeed grossly violative of the Act since no political party or person can solicit votes by display of the national flag. Accordingly, I filed a complaint before the Election Commission of India. the Election Commission promptly issued notice to Ms. Bharti and to the BJP. Though the BJP filed a reply on behalf of Ms. Bharti, the damage was done. The Tiranga Yatra was called off- she was advised to avoid the display of the national flag and in about three weeks she had resigned as the Chief Minister of MP, obviously since she was cheesed off as the party had not supported her face saving device. My petition had clearly played a part in Uma Bharti being alienated from the BJP and vice- versa.
My grateful thanks for bringing a flood of memories reated to that period. My congratulations to both Navin Jindal and Swati Pant.
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india Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
….THANKS Brijesh for being the citizen, that this country so much needs.
THANKS for your efforts on behalf of all of us.
So many times we get peeved by this or that but fail to step up, for this or that.Not on; for if we are to build the nation (indeed South Asian region & the larger world) we need to do, that we must, regardless of all, as often as we can. u stepped up back then.WELL DONE.Keep up the spirit humrahi. Keep up the fight.There are plenty of ways Ms. Bharti can serve the nation.Taking a tiranga yatra& meddling in all that she does is not the one.
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Kumkum,
This time you are way off. Perhaps you missed the woods for the trees. Though we both carry the same surname but the similarity end there. Having worked earlier in the public sector Steel Authority of India, I was mighty curious when Navin took the reigns of his company as to how his saga would unfold in the corridors of his company. I have watched Navin very closely and from the numerous feedback from his employees ( read ex-SAIL employees) his no nonsense and affable management style has endeared him to all his employees which is amply reflected in the healthy bottom lines of the company’s balance sheet.
His crusade for bringing the national flag into the grasp of every Indian was no small feat and instead of lauding him you are questioning his motive for doing so. Politics in India so far has been the last refuge of scoundrels and Navin’s resolve to change this perception by fighting national elections and winning second time is another feather in his cap. Instead of encouraging young leaders who can bring sea change to Indian polity your decision to pour scorn on him is repulsive.
Shekhar Jindal
Chicago US
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reena Reply:
October 7th, 2009 at 7:29 am
Hello Sir,
I agree with Kumkum, we have not heard of anything he has done for his constituency since he became MP.Taking care of his company is his job, that is not his job as a an MP.
I think, he is competent enough to apply the same to his political work as well, plus point being his financial situation.
He was in news for a good cause, we are waiting for him again….
Thanks
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kumkum chadha Reply:
October 7th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Thanks for your comment. You have substantiated what I have said. Actually in your eagerness to defend Jindal you did niot read the blog carefully. First this is not abotu Jindal the businessman. Or about how successfully he manages his bstell busines. In fact But let me point out two things: The blog was not about how successfully he handls his business or the balance sheets. The point is that in the balance sheets he has forgotten his initial crusade. I think it was a very good step and I have said at the outset that he fought for the right of Indians. But that is the WAS part of Jindal. As an MP he has not taken the crusade forward or done anything to carry forward the spirit of nationalism. Being an MP seems to be the end of the road for someone who started off wiht promise.
Fighting an election is no big deal. Many do and Jindal is one among the many: sadly from being the only one who tok up cudgels against the Government and questioned the flag code is now like any other.
As for young MPs there are many others who are actually working on the ground, spendign tiem in their constituncies rather than their industries and product.
I know being a die hard indal fan you would not agree with me but it is my point of view and I do feel sorry that a man who identified himself with the Indian flag got lost in the medley of politics.
And I don’t know how you got the impression that I was questioning his motives. If you read carefully I am saying just the opposite. .
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I totally concur with Shekhar Jindal’s point of view. Navin never claimed that nationalism was his “cause”..he fought for his rights as a citizen and won. Him being a successful businessman and a politician too is not contradictory nor there is any clash of interest. Why cant successful businessmen/women be in politics and why cant politicians be businessmen. I dont see any reason for you questioning Navin’s integrity.
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kumkum chadha Reply:
October 7th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Pl rad my long reply to Shekhar. I have not questioned his integrity excep to say that he started a crusade which no other Indian did but once he reached politics, he did not carry it forward. That is the limited point I am making and ofcourse saying that I am disappointed with him. My view
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National flag is a very sensitive issue. ;There have been instances when it has been flown upside down especially on the Indian consulates and high commisions. I don’t know if the guilty were punished. If some one cuts a cake designed like a national flag, who is more guilty. One who cuts it or the one who designs it ? I am ignorant about the quantum of punishment too. Can anyone elaborate.
Not many of us know that the designer of our national flag P Venkayya died in Penury !
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kumkum chadha Reply:
October 7th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Thank you indeed for updating me. I did not know about P.Venkayya’s death i penury. A sad commentary n our worshipping images and concepts and forgetting the creators. .
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Hello Kumkumji,
I do not know Swati or Navin Jindal and have heard about both of them for the first time in this blog. But based on the facts presented in this blog, I beg to differ. Swati’s nationalism is not better than Navin Jindal or for that matter any hardworking, sincere, honest Indian.
First: Navin wanted to fly the national flag atop his home/office. Swati puts it on her cell phone. In general something you do on a private/personal level requires much less conviction than something you do on a public level.
Second: Navin had to fight for it. That too a tough one (we know how tough legal battles are in India). She did not have to fight for keeping the photograph on her cell phone.
Third: What purpose does the national flag on Swati’s cell phone serve? Does the flag (or the noble thoughts it invokes), spurs her to do something for her country? NO… In her own words she uses it lift her own flagging spirits i.e it just benefits her and nothing else. Is india at least benefiting indirectly from her personal gains. Again a BIG NO. Why? Because she has chosen to give away her skills, time and energy to another country and its economy. Navin on the other hand is running a successful business which is contributing to the economy of India. He might have neglected his duty as a politician. He could have done much more (specially with his money and influence)….Agreed. But, still whatever he is doing at present is still greater than Swati. Actually any Indian who is honest, sincere and hardworking, in any area, holding even the smallest post/job is contributing to the country much more than Swati. So what if he might not get the noble/BIG thoughts as Swati (maybe because he is busy earning bread and butter for his family.), but, by being sincere, honest and hardworking in his job he is contributing to the progress of the country.
Fourth: Coming to the thoughts. Well I think any educated person with even a little knowledge of modern Indian history and even a minor love for his country will have similar thoughts about India and the national flag as Swati. That also is no big deal
Regards,
Sameeta
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kumkum chadha Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Sure no big deal. But I thought Swati’s thought was different. I for one looked at the flag and never thought of ti in that way. Yes I had a sense of pride but not really connected it to my own day or my problems. But I agree about it serving no purpose: nor do I grudge Navin Jindal doing business: all that I said was here was a promising man who took on the system,fought and won the right for every Indian and then did not carry it forward. I am not grudging him his privacy or the way he wants to lead his life but I am saying that he had the capacity to change a lot more,instill patriotism in many who lack it but did not. I am not sayign he has failed anyone: it is just when you pin hopes on someone youexpect a lot. Also because I see him at close quarters in Parliamant and begin by associating him with the crusade but see him settle down as an ordinary MP. The premise being that I think Jindal is extraordinary because he had the rules changed and somewhere he settled to an ordinary life of an MP. It is like a bright student who starts off by winning gold and later settles for average marks. That is my point.
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Kumkum,
The point which I was trying to make is that Navin like other Industrialists could have used his money power to propel him into politics through Rajya Sabha but he decided to do it the hard way and his second successive win from the same Lok Sabha constituency proves my point that he must have endeared himself to his voters to some extent. I am not exactly clear what he should have done more to come to your expectations. It would be interesting to know if you can quote a single non ministerial politician who meets your requirements ? I hope your reference points are not Tweeter Tharoor or Awful Patel !
Shekhar Jindal
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kumkum chadha Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
I am not sure if Jindal was calling the shots about Rajya Sabha. Or his choosing thr Lok Sabha route. He was a potential winner and the party gave him the ticket. And it is not upto my expectations which is the issue. I am not his conscience-keeper. As I have summed up above: Jindal started off well and I wish he had continued his fighting spirit. He is like I have said above a brught studeent who won gold but decided to later be complacent and be content in getting average marks.
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Ms. Kumkum so once a person does somethign selflessly for his people and country he is supposed to do it all the time, time and again and in case he falters in anyway along the way we should call him a fraud !!! while the other lady who merely has the flag as a screensaver and thinks well of her country but at the same time does not do anythign else for it ‘living her own life peacefully’ is somehow a bigger hero !!!
And “As for young MPs there are many others who are actually working on the ground, spendign tiem in their constituncies rather than their industries and product” i dunno which MPs are u talking about and if u notice such MPs, who do not have any other known source of income’ wil be roaming the countryside (with lot of media of course) in imported SUVs. wonder how they get money for that without any real day time jobs. but then if u try to make a honest living while slugging it out in the parliament then u will be chastised by our hypocrite, leaft leaning commie columnists.
a chappal being thrown by an indulgent parent is enough to write off Mr Jindal as a failure ????
i am really perplexed by your unjust comparison and totally faulty conclusion.
carry on mr jindal. all power to u. while ms swati can keep on staring longingly at her flag from a safe distance in a foreign land
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BTW, I am not sure about the 45 horses and polo farms which Navin supposedly owns, the Mumbai Mansion, I am informed doesn’t belong to him. It used to be owned by his uncle !
Shekhar Jindal
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Rajeev Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
May I ask why are you so passionately defending Navin Jindal? Is it because of same last name?
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shekhar jindal Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 3:20 am
Hi Rajeev,
Nothing of that sort. It so happens that I started my career in Steel Industry and when Navin took reins of his fledgling steel company and became famous due to his National flag crusade, I started evincing keen interest in his profile. Now though I have left steel industry long back, I often indulge in keeping abreast about the steel industry affairs particularly Indian during my spare time. This blog from Kumkum ji was a trigger and I couldn’t keep myself from offering my two cents.
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To me Nationalism is a sentiment, an attitude, towards my national identity, and the efforts I make to sustain that for my country.
All of us have our respective rights to express our love of our country in our own way. But those in public life, have the onus to continue doing so.
I agree with Kumkum that in the metaphorical race for nationalistic expression, Swati the tortoise is winning against Jindal the Hare!!
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kumkum chadha Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Thanks
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While Jindal’s enthusiasm towards nationalism may have diminished, fact is, like you mention that people still associate his name with their right to fly the national flag. I have friends who always unfurl the national flag in their houses on Independence Day.
Whether Jindal gets parliamentary success or not, he has etched his name permanently in the course of Indian history with this amendment in the flag code.
regards
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No doubt about it. Jindal’s contribution can not be undermined. And equally true is that he has associated himself with the Indian flag forever. Given that I just wish he had taken his initiative forward and instilled an entire generation with patriotism and nationalism: something which he is completely capable of doing.
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….JINDAL family is offering enough contribution to the better sake of this nation. That will off set some of the comments for him focussing too much on running the comany.
Let the new young MPs (There are many like Jindal) settle down with the dust of nasty and incompetent Indian environment. They will produce result (not the job for individuals) down the path.
…and throwing shoe…oh come on…that put India behind Iraq. Is this how some one in a civilized society express his/her disagreement and anger. Am glad our freedom fighter avoided throwing shoe on British Raj otherwise…forget the freedom.
Cheers
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Kumkum Ji,
Eagerly awaiting your next blog… you can’t keep your fans waiting endlessly.
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Respected kumkum ji,
MADAM PLEASE PUT SOME LIGHT ON mAMATE bANERJEE .THE iNDIAN RAILWAY MINISTER wORKING,rAILWAY I ONT KNOW WHEN WILL SEE TH LIGHT OF THE DAY.iT NEEDS MUCH IMPROOVE MENT. didi (Mamata banerjeee) aisi rail se bachana.
kumkum ji hopse so u wil come up with your next blog.
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Navin is a nationalist. That’s why he contributes to the election fund of both the main national parties, i.e. the BJP and the Congress :)!! A fact but am mentioning this in jest.
There is this gentleman by the name of Mr. Mandeep Bajwa that I know. He has been unfurling the national flag in his village in Punjab for the last 30 years on Independence Day. Especially during the insurgency!
That’s the beauty of our country. There are n number of people who have their own story. Swati’s nationalism or Navin’s or Mandeep’s or Chaudhry’s or anyone’s is their own and can not be compared I feel. A soldier who died for the country but did not fight a legal battle is no less a nationalist.
Someone’s story gets highlighted while someone else may not even want to publicize it cos he feels that emotions (including Nationalism) are best kept private or someone (even Navin Jindal) may not even have a say in the fact that the story gets highlighted.
So it is not even a debate in my opinion :)!!
Cheers!
Vandemataram!
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