The chief education officer, Budgam, has asked all schools in the zone to collect Rs 20 per student and staff member for the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Instructors’ Forum, teachers and students are “compelled” to pay for the Indian National Flag in order to support the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. As per the directions from the chief education officer, Budgam, all the HOIs of this zone are asked to collect Rs 20 per student and the staff members of the school are asked to deposit the same in the ZEO office within 4 days, “read the circular published by the office of the zonal education officer, Government of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Charges from only one student should be collected in accordance with guidelines when there are multiple students in the same family, it continued. The ministry of education issued the circular, dated July 16, 2022, after directing all state education department officials, SCERTs, and others to urge the hoisting of the Indian National Flag at their residences. The ministry added that the Indian flag will be made accessible to everyone through nodal officials established in each of the states and union territories. “You (Nodal Officers) are requested to guarantee that there are appropriate numbers of national flags available for students and instructors in school to purchase for hoisting at their houses,” read the circular released by the ministry of education.

The chair of the J-K teachers’ forum, M. Rafiq Rather, reportedly stated, “There is a lot of pressure driving instructors and students to give money. Although we have always flown the tricolour and it has always been an integral part of our official duties, why is the government demanding money from workers and students?