As Bharat celebrates the Independence Day with great fervour across the country, it is important to know that there is a distinction between hoisting the flag on Independence Day and Republic Day as the customs for both these days are different.
Also on Republic Day, people get to see the grand republic day parade while on Independence Day, the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation from the rampart of historic Red Fort.
On the occasion of August 15, which is Independence Day, the flag is pulled up by a rope from the bottom, then unfurled and hoisted. This is called “flag hoisting” because it is done to honour the historical event of August 15, 1947.
On Independence Day, the flag is hoisted by the Prime Minister. In the constitution it is called Flag Hoisting in English. Whereas on the occasion of January 26, Republic Day, the flag remains tied up, which is unfurled and, in the constitution, it is called Flag Unfurling.
January 26 marks the day when the Constitution of India came into effect in 1950. It replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India.
The flag is hoisted by the “Prime Minister” who is the head of the central government on August 15, as the Constitution of India had not come into force on the day of independence and the President who is the constitutional head of the nation had not assumed office.
On this day in the evening, the President gives his message to the nation. Whereas on January 26, which is celebrated on the occasion of the implementation of the constitution in the country, the constitutional head which is the President hoists the flag.
On Independence Day, the flag is hoisted at the Red Fort, meanwhile on Republic Day, the flag is hoisted at the Rajpath.
