The earlier national flag rules and regulations of 1972 proved to be inadequate
The national flag bill was introduced yesterday in the national council (NC), to be tabled for discussion on January 12 by members of the upper house.

The NC, in its last session, resolved to draft a national flag bill, following support from members and the cultural committee, demanding an act on the national flag.

The drafting members of Lhuentse, Rinzin Rinzin and Wangduephodrang, Sonam Yangchen explained the need for such an act.

A few years ago, there was a case of the national flag being used by a shoe company on its products.  Bhutan could not do much about it, since it lacked the legal teeth to act on the disrespectful usage of a national flag.

“We actually had a national flag rules and regulations of 1972, but it lacked the legal backing for its effective implementation to safeguard our national identity,” Rinzin Rinzin said.

The only two drafting members of this first private members’ bill said the existing national flag rules and regulations had some redundant sections, besides lacking legal background. “There are flags hoisted everywhere, but what we found lacking is the respect that we should give to our national flag,” Rinzin Rinzin said.

A private member’s bill is one proposed by a parliamentarian (s) outside the government.

Article 8 section 4 of the Constitution states that a person shall respect the national flag. “That’s because our flag symbolises the religious and political aspects that cannot be given for disrespectful usages,” he said.

The bill emphasises traditional norms, where hoisting of national flag and being in national dress with kabney and rachu are regarded as inseparable.

The bill also has details how a national flag should be, its combination of colours, the colour of the dragon, and the positions and the elements in the design, such as the jewels in the hands of the dragon.

Sonam Yangchen said they expect a major debate on the need of a kabney and rachu with the national dress while visiting a place with the national flag flying. “There are already different views from our colleagues on this,” she said.