Sangrur: The ongoing 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign to mark the 75 years of India's independence has given a boost to the local cloth industry in the Malerkotla area of Sangrur in Punjab, which is witnessing an increased demand for the tricolours. Malekola is a Muslim-majority city and is known for making flags and badges. The local artisans are in much demand to make the tricolours and have already made lakhs of flags and sent them to different states of the country and are working hard to make more flags.
Artisans said that it is an honour for them as they are making the flags of the country. Sukaria, an artisan from Malerkotle, said that it is a matter of pride for them that they are making the tricolour that is hoisted on every house in the country. While making the tricolour, the artisans are not bringing footwear to the place of work as a mark of respect for tricolour.
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“We are also asking our children to enter the room without slippers and they are obeying us,” Reshma, a young embroidery artist from the Tsunami Gate area, who has been doing this work for about eight years said that she feels proud that the flags made by them will be used on the completion of 75 years of independence. “We are also planning to hoist the tricolour on Independence Day as we have an emotional and personal connection with the national flag,” she said.
The artisans said that usually the badges are worn on uniforms by the army and other security forces, but after the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign, the tricolour is in much demand. Saatha Bazar businessman Iwad Ali Rana (40) said that two types of national flags are being used for the campaign-embroidered and printed flags. He said that an artisan makes 15-20 flags in a day, with the price of each flag ranging from Rs 400 to 700.
Business leaders said that the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign has created a huge demand for flags, so their artisans are working overtime to complete the work. Ali Rana, a trader, said he has so far sent about one lakh flags to different states of the country and there is a demand for one lakh more, which they have to complete in the remaining days.
Another trader, Shahnaj says that due to the increasing demand for flags, they are sleeping late at night and waking up early in the morning to start work. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the nation in the 91st edition of the radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', asked people to hoist the tricolour at their homes from August 13 to 15. The PM on August 2 asked people to replace their social media profile photos with tricolours.
