Objects bearing tricolour, including national flag, became ever-present in the run-up to the Republic Day, as hawkers and small-time vendors were seen selling them in considerable numbers from their stalls and at traffic signals across the national capital.
National flags of various sizes were sold near Sector-16 metro station in Noida by a few vendors. The cost varied according to the sizes of the flags which were made from either cheap plastic or cloth.
Men and women hawked tricolour flags from red light crossings at Patiala House Court and those along BRT corridor in South Delhi, among several others such locations.
A merchant from Sadar Bazaar in Old Delhi area, also acknowledged an increase in the sale of tricoloured-trinkets, like key-chains, stickers, lapel-buttons and flags.
"The sale of such items has increased in the last few days. It is usually higher during the days immediately before the Independence Day, but Republic Day scores close second after that," President of Qutab Road Traders Association Rakesh Kumar Yadav told IANS.
"The main demand comes usually from those who organise functions on the Republic Day, for example, several resident welfare associations which organise these get-togethers and hand-over the token items to people invited as a gesture of their patriotic spirit," Yadav said.
He also added that apart from these two national days, the sale in flags jumps up even during the elections as the political parties distribute them to emphasise their nationalism to seek votes.
--IANS
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