There has been a lot of talk over the last few days about the flag of India, with patriots accusing the farmers of disrespecting it. I will admit, although I could tell you what the flag is, I had no idea what it meant. Curiosity got the best of me, so I started looking into it further.
For those like me who didn’t know, each part of the flag has a very deep and significant meaning. A very brief summary of the meaning of each is as follows:
Saffron: Strength and courage.
White: Peace and truth.
Green: Fertility and growth; the importance of the land.
Chakra: The wheel itself is known as an “Ashoka Chakra” and has 24 spokes. They represent both the 24 hours in a day, as well as 24 virtues for life. Some of these virtues are sacrifice, hope, kindness, equality and awareness.
After reading this, I was left scratching my head. What was it that these so-called patriots were mad about? The protesting farmers live up to the definition of the flag and then some.
Proof?
Saffron (Strength and Courage): The protesters have been out on the cold streets for months. They’ve faced trenches, water cannons, beatings by those who should be protecting them, abuse from extremists and fanatics both physically and verbally, as well as baseless attempts at defamation – just to name a few things.
Take a look at the video of protester who had his sacred turban ripped off his head while being beaten mercilessly. When freed from the clutches of those assaulting him, he turned to a camera and smiled, stating that he and the other protesters would continue to fight for their rights, no matter what happened to them. He then turned to his abusers and roared the Sikh battle cry in defiance. If that’s not courageous, I don’t know what is.
White (peace and truth): The farmers have repeatedly said they do not want to be there. They are hundreds of miles away from their families and land. They want to go home. They’ve appealed to everyone that will listen to intervene. They just want their voices heard and their way of life to carry on. They’ve sat there for months, waiting peacefully. After repeated attempts to slander them, they created their own social media platforms to convey what the white in the flag represents – truth.
Green (fertility and growth): They’re FARMERS fighting for the right to keep their way of living. That’s the green personified.
The Ashoka Chakra: A quick recap of some of the 24 virtues they’ve displayed:
- Sacrifice – People have lost their lives for what is right.
- Hope – They’re still optimistic, despite each day bringing with it more outrageous stunts by those who would wish to see them ruined.
- Equality – Hindu, Sikh, Muslim…all united as one to fight for their rights.
- Kindness – They’re feeding the poor of their nation’s capital when they themselves eat.
- Awareness – Take a look at your social media feeds. The farmers and their supporters are working day and night to bring what is happening to the world stage.
Now, look at the other side. You’ve got internet warriors with the Indian flag as their display pictures on various social media platforms trying to defame the protesters by calling them childish names, insulting their beliefs and posting pornographic images using hashtags related to faith and religion. These people are sitting behind computer screens doing the exact opposite of what the flag they hold so dear represents. Cowardice, lies, a disrespect for those that feed them. To top it all off, they display a blatant disregard for each and every one of 24 of the Ashoka Chakra’s virtues.
So, after all this research, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are definitely grounds to be upset about the disrespect for this mighty nation’s flag. The problem is that everyone seems to be mad at the wrong group, because the guilty are the one’s pushing the narrative.
Let’s change that.
Photo credit: www.inkquisitiveart.com
