As mentioned in the post, while the association fully respects the town’s policies and regulations, the flying of the Indian flag is a huge moment of pride and honour for the Indian community. What may not seem like a big deal to unaware of India’s history and culture, the Indian flag is a tremendous representation of the independence that India had to fight for leading up to 1947.
India was under the rule of the British for almost 200 years, and to get independence, many Indians lost their lives fighting. Many were torn away from their parents or families, murdered for no reason at all, starved, or just faced different sorts of brutalities under British rule. To fight for that independence and to be a free country for the future generations to come was an extremely significant event for Indians, and to fly the Indian national flag is a representation of that independence, and an honour to all those who fought and lost their lives for future Indians to be free.
Today, India is the world’s largest democratic country, and for those of us who are Indian or have Indian ancestry, being Indian is who we are. The Indian flag is respected. We don’t wear our flag. We don’t leave a flag torn — it must be changed. We also rise for our national anthem as a form of respect, as we do for the Canadian national anthem. Many of us consider India Bharat Mata, which translates into Mother India.
Just as Canada became a nation on July 1, 1867, India became a nation on Aug. 15, 1947. Both countries have different histories. Both have periods of shame, and periods of pride, and while we can’t go back in time to change certain events as part of our history, we can still celebrate those events that make us a country, and give us pride in being Canadian, or Indian.
Therefore, I’m writing this response to this article because I want the Innisfil Indian Association to know that I fully support its decision in cancelling the Independence Day event because, in my opinion, it is disrespectful to the Indian flag and the Indian community to fly it below the Innisfil town flag. These may be the town’s rules, and that we will fully respect and continue to respect, but there is no reason, in my opinion, why another country’s flag should be flying below the town’s flag, especially on a day to mark that particular country’s independence.
Canada and Innisfil will always be respected, but that doesn’t mean that India, or any country, for that matter, needs to be given a status below the Town of Innisfil. Perhaps this is not the intent, but for me, personally, not flying the Indian flag at the same level as the Town of Innisfil’s flag is disrespectful. It is not just a flag; it is a moment of pride, respect, sentiment, and a representation of India.
My intent of writing this response is not to change any town rules, nor to disrespect anyone. It is solely to compliment the Innisfil Indian Association’s decision on this matter, and to share my opinion because not many may know the significance of the flag-flying ceremony for Indians. It is a one-day event, and hopefully we can overcome this barrier and celebrate India’s independence together in the coming years.
In 2013, when we first moved to Innisfil, there weren’t many Indians in Innisfil or Barrie. To see someone of the same culture was rare. Today, many Indians or of Indian origin have migrated from India or the Greater Toronto Area and filled Innisfil and Barrie, and I’m glad to see that someone is taking initiative to celebrate the Indian culture and heritage in Innisfil. Thank you.
