New Delhi: A video of ration depot employee ‘forcing’ people to buy national flag for Rs 20 while buying groceries elicited strong reactions on Twitter yesterday, with many politicians taking the opportunity to slam the Centre for its Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyaan. The shopkeeper, from Haryana’s Karnal, in the video reportedly said that he was told by government officials to sell the Tricolour along with groceries. As the video went viral, the government’s official fact-checking handle Press Information Bureau (PIB) came forward to debunk the false claims. PIB in a statement said that no such instruction was given by Government of India. It also informed that the depot owner’s licence was suspended for misleading the people & wrongly boasting about government order. Some social media posts claim that Govt of India has instructed denial of ration to people not buying national flag ▶️The claim is not true ▶️No such instruction has been given by GoI ▶️Errant ration shop has been suspended for violating orders of Govt & misrepresenting facts pic.twitter.com/MA34l34g1n — PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) August 10, 2022 Taking to Twitter, the PIB said that no such instruction has been given by the Central government. The widely-circulated video on Twitter evoked sharp reactions from Opposition Congress and also saffron party MP Varun Gandhi. आजादी की 75वीं वर्षगाँठ का उत्सव गरीबों पर ही बोझ बन जाए तो दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण होगा। राशनकार्ड धारकों को या तिरंगा खरीदने पर मजबूर किया जा रहा है या उसके बदले उनके हिस्से का राशन काटा जा रहा है। हर भारतीय के हृदय में बसने वाले तिरंगे की कीमत गरीब का निवाला छीन कर वसूलना शर्मनाक है। pic.twitter.com/pYKZCfGaCV — Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) August 10, 2022 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also latched on the viral video and alleged that ration card holders were forced to buy the national flag by shopkeepers and accused BJP of selling "nationalism". Modi government has launched an ambitious drive to make Har Ghar Tiranga campaign a big success, with even PM Modi urging the citizens to hoist or display the national flag at their homes from August 13 to 15. Karnal police also informed that stern action has been taken against he shopkeepers and his licence cancelled.
