As a mark of respect to the Father of Nation, the Centre has asked the State Governments not to use pictorial illustrations of Gandhiji’s spectacles as well his sketches at ‘inappropriate places’ such as community toilets, dustbins and trash cans.
The Union Water and Sanitation Ministry has issued the direction to the State authorities to enforce the provisions of The Prevention of insults to National Honour Act, 1971 while using Gandhi’s images and photos as a part of its flagship Swachchh Bharat Mission (SBM).
The Ministry’s move follows a Chhattisgarh High Court order in response to a PIl seeking a direction against the “improper use” of Gandhian logo as alleged by petitioner, former Chhattisgarh Minister Badruddin Qureshi. He alleged that the Government was dishonoring Gandhiji by allowing use of his images on toilets and dustbins.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who launched the nation-wide cleanliness campaign on October 2, 2014 had said, “Swachchh Bharat logo (having Gandhi’s spectacles) is not just a logo; through it, Gandhiji is watching us and so we all should clean India.”
During the launch of the logo in September 2014, Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu had said the spectacles of Mahatma Gandhi with its bridge in the Tricolour signify the nation uniting to achieve the vision of Mahatma for a clean India.
“For the Mahatma, cleanliness and India were like his two eyes through which he envisioned a clean India,” he added.
Since then, the pictorial depiction of Gandhiji’s spectacles with ‘Swachchh Bharat’ written near it has been used extensively. At several places, sketches of Gandhiji have also been illustrated at the public toilets and on trash cans.
While dismissing the petition, the court had sought an assurance from the Centre that “wherever any symbol associated with Mahatama Gandhi was used it shall be used and placed in such a fashion that it cannot be easily defaced and should not be used in such a manner which causes disrespect to the Father of the Nation.”
In response, the Government on January 9 issued a circular signed by Yugal Kishore Joshi, Director (SBM) for rural areas under the Water and Sanitation Ministry, stating that any sketch, image, photo of Mahatma Gandhi depicted under the Swachhch Bharat Abhiyan should not be used in public toilets, on trash cans or at other filthy places.
“It is requested that while campaign for the SBM may avoid use of the sketches, photos, pictures, logo of Mahatama Gandhi or his belongings (glass, charkha, stick, watch and others) on the walls of public toilets/garbage bins and filthy places so that the sentiments of anyone may not hurt in implementing SBM programme,” as per the circular.
From the ideas received from the public, the pictorial depiction of Gandhiji’s spectacles with ‘Swachchh Bharat’ written on the glasses suggested by one Anant Khasbardar of Kolhapur in Maharashtra was chosen by the Government. The tag line of ‘ek kadam swachchhata ki aur’ was suggested by one Bhagyasri Sheth of Rajkot in Gujarat.