![[Flag of BJP]](../images/i/in}bjp.gif)
by
Roman Kogovsek, 6 July 2005
Last modified: 2024-01-27 by ian macdonald
Keywords: bharatiya janata party | bjp | lotus | saffron |
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by
Roman Kogovsek, 6 July 2005
See also:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (Hindi: भारतीय जनता पार्टी; translation: Indian
People's Party; abbr. BJP) is one of the two major political parties in India,
along with the Indian National Congress. As of 2015, it is the country's largest
political party in terms of representation in the national parliament and state
assemblies, and it is the world's largest party in terms of primary membership.
The BJP is a right-wing party. The BJP's origins lie in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh,
formed in 1951 by Syama Prasad Mookerjee. After the State of Emergency in 1977,
the Jana Sangh merged with several other parties to form the Janata Party. It
was officiall established on April 6, 1980
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Party
For additional
information go to BJP (official website):
http://www.bjp.org/
Esteban Rivera, 10 April 2016
I saw the BJP flag on TV today and there is a small depiction at http://www.bjp.org/. I have not observed these parties too closely but I know that the symbol is usually a simple monochrome pictorial device on the ballot paper for the benefit of illiterate voters.
António Martins, 11 May 1999
Note: flag is usually represented in a 2:3 ratio.
Jaume Ollé, 23 May 1999
![[Symbol of BJP]](../images/i/in}bjp-l.gif)
from the site. The symbol appears to be called Kamal Darshan (see ALT tag at http://www.bjp.org/index1.html). While they could have called it just kamal, meaning lotus, they have chosen a grandiose phrase, which loosely translates as lotus worship.
Ash Nallawalla, 23 February 1998
From http://www.bjp.org/organ.htm:
CONSTITUTION AND RULES
As amended by the National council at Gandhi Nagar (Gujarat) on 4th May, 1998
BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY CONSTITUTION AND RULES BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY
Article I :
NAME : The name of the Party shall be "Bharatiya Janata Party" (hereinafter referred to as "The Party").
Article V :
Flag: The Flag of the Party shall comprise of two vertical colours- saffron and green, in the ratio of 2:1 with the election symbol of the Party in blue colour in the middle of the saffron portion equal to half of its size. The green portion will be near the mast.
[My comment: I infer from this and the illustration that the total ratio of the flag is 1:3]
Article VI :
Election symbol : The election symbol of the Party shall be "Lotus."
Ivan Sache, 26 January 1999
There was recently an important debate, at least internal to the party, on
the possible "saffronizing" of the flag of the Hindu party BJP (Bharatiya Janata
Party). Up to now, the flag has a green stripe along the hoist, as prescribed by
the party constitution and rules.
On 9 April 2006, "The Times of India" reported that a journal of the
RSS [the ultra-Hinduist organization allied to the BJP] had said:
"BJP president Rajnath Singh is seriously contemplating changing the
party's flag to completely saffron."
"Party sources agree that the BJP chief has been contemplating the idea,
which appears like a suggestion for action from RSS, and feels the
proposal could be acceptable within the party.
The flag issue would have to be taken up by the national council for a
decision, said party sources, adding that some other changes may also
be thought of to "refurbish" the party's image. Obviously, the change
in the party flag will have deeper ramifications in terms of its
orientation.
The article leaves no doubt about the political and ideological
orientation that such a change will entail as it states that "moreover,
this colour has been under attack by the UPA's leaders [UPA is the
government coalition ruled by the Congress Party, which unexpectedly
defeated BJP] and saffronization as a word itself was turned into an
abusive, unwanted object through their hate attacks.
To have a complete saffron colour would be a fitting answer to
Congress-Left appeasement policies and their anti-Hindutva drive."
Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1483127.cms
On 10 April, "The Times of India" reported that senior BJP leader L K
Advani had denied any move to drop green colour from the party's flag
and make it "totally saffron", saying the issue has not been discussed
in the party. Asked about BJP President Rajnath Singh's reported
comments in this regard, he said "I have spoken to him and he told me
'I have never said it'."
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1484371.cms
On 11 April, the Chennai Online News Service reported that BJP chief
Rajnath Singhhad said some of his party leaders had proposed a change
in the colour of the party flag to full saffron.
"Some senior party leaders have given me the idea but so far there has
been no decision on carrying out changes in the present flag," he told
reporters.
Source:
http://www.chennaionline.com/
I have not found anything more recent on this question, so we can
consider that the BJP flag has not been saffronized yet.
Ivan Sache, 19 April 2006
According to "The Financial Express", 19 April 2006, BJP President Rajnath
Singh ruled out changing the colour of the party flag. “The suggestion was
discussed in detail at the party forum and was rejected,” he said in Bhadohi.
Source:
http://www.financialexpress.com/latest_full_story.php?content_id=124376
Ivan Sache, 21 April 2006
According to the "Herald" (Goa), 2 May 2006, "the new Bharatiya Janshakti
Party has also unequivocally made its saffron agenda crystal clear by adopting a
saffron flag and the Aryan symbol of the rising sun."
Source: http://oheraldo.in/node/13062.
Ivan Sache, 3 May 2006
Quoting "The
Hindustan Times", 8 April 2008:
"BJP claims last Mughal’s flag
Did the last Mughal ruler design a flag with a lotus for the First War of
Independence? The BJP has discovered one, which will be displayed on Tuesday
when LK Advani and BJP chief Rajnath Singh flag off an event on Tuesday.
According to party leaders, Bahadur Shah Zafar designed a green flag with a
lotus on the top and a “roti”, which was used during the uprising.
“We have designed a similar flag for our function at the Red Fort,” said BJP
spokesperson Prakash Javadekar announcing the party’s programme to match the
government’s plans to commemorate the 150th anniversary of 1857 uprising.
[...]"
BJP is Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian People's Party), a conservative,
nationalist party. Therefore, the "last Mughal's flag" should be considered with
some caution.
Regarding the last Mughal, Lindsay Pereira writes:
"[...] Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Mohammed Bahadur Shah Zafar (1775-1862), son of
Akbar Shah II, last of the Mughal emperors. A weak ruler, Zafar's reign was
witness to unrest, British domination and the First War of Independence of 1857.
He was nominated as a leader by nationalist forces and captured when the
rebellion failed. Sadly, his sons were executed in his presence, and their
severed heads presented to him.
The British exiled him to Rangoon (now Yangon, Myanmar). With his removal, the
Mughal dynasty came to a close. The title Emperor of India was taken by Queen
Victoria. Bahadur Shah died in exile on November 7, 1862 and is buried near Shwe
Degon Pagoda, Yangon."
Source:
http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/aug/30spec3.htm
Ivan Sache, 10 April 2008
A report at
http://bjpkarnataka.org/downloads/bjp-logo-and-flags contains an image
titled
http://bjpkarnataka.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/bjp-flag-_new.jpg. Is
this a new flag?
Valentin Poposki, 26 May 2009
I wonder why this appears on the website of the Karnataka branch of the
BJP. Looking at the main website, at www.bjp.org,
I can't find any reference to a new flag. That website contains the party's
constitution, and the section about the flag is identical to what we quote
above, from 1999. Perhaps a watching brief on this one, unless someone better
informed can tell us more ...
André Coutanche, 26 May 2009
![[Flag of BJP]](../images/i/in}bjp2.gif)
image by Randy Young and Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 5
April 2015
A photograph (seen at
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/photo/33714331.cms) shows a man at a
political rally holding a variant of the BJP flag. The flag is divided
vertically, green at the hoist and orange on the fly. This variant, however,
shows the party's flower logo in yellow fimbriated blue on the orange field, and
the party's acronym in white block letters in the green, "B" over "J" over "P."
Randy Young, 5 April 2015
A variant of the Bharatiya Janata Party is at
http://s4.Reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160216&t=2&i=1117875173&w=644&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC1F0KV
(source:
http://in.Reuters.com/article/muzaffarnagar-election-bjp-idINKCN0VP16U).
Esteban Rivera, 10 April 2016
![[Flag of BJP]](../images/i/in}bjp4.jpg)
image located by Dave Fowler, 22 February 2021
This variant of the Bharatiya Janta Party flag is from
https://images.indianexpress.com/2021/02/BJP-flag-3.jpg
Dave Fowler,
22 February 2021
![[Flag of BJP]](../images/i/in}bjp5.jpg)
image located by William Garrison, 14 August 2021
A clear image of this flag can be seen at
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bjp-rubbing-salt-into-farmers-wounds-with-april-6-rally-congress-foundation-day-5125162.
William Garrison, 14 August 2021
