Achievements As A Parliamentarian

MPS CAN NOW WEAR TIRANGA LAPEL BADGE IN THE LOK SABHA

Another feather in Shri Naveen Jindal’s Cap

New Delhi, February 19, 2010: In a pleasant and long awaited decision, the Lok Sabha on 18th February, 2010 decided to allow Members of Parliament to wear Lapel Pins displaying the National Flag on their person in the august House. It may surprise many to know that according the to Rule No. 349 (XIV) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha Members of the Parliament were not allowed to wear badges of any kind while seated in the House.

The Member of Parliament, Naveen Jindal approached the Rules Committee and the former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chetterjee in 2004 to allow Hon’ble Members of the House to wear the National Flag in the form of Lapel Pins while in the House.

Sh. Jindal pleaded with the Rules Committee that the National Flag is the greatest symbol of our Country, therefore, MPs be allowed to display it while sitting in the House as a mark of respect to the supreme symbol of the Nation. Continuing his efforts he approached the 15th Lok Sabha Rules Committee and Hon’ble Speaker Smt. Meira Kumar, who has amended the above said clause of Rule 349 to read “Members shall not wear any batches in the Lok Sabha except in the form of Tricolour in the form of Lapel Pin”. The passion shown by the Kurukshetra MP Sh. Naveen Jindal for the cause of the National-flag adds another feather to his cap.

Earlier, in January 2004 Sh. Jindal obtained the right for every citizen to fly the National Flag on all the 365 days of the year when the Hon’ble Supreme Court granted Indians the Fundamental Right to fly the Tiranga.

In December, 2009 the young Member of Parliament and one of the leading industrialists of the country Shri Naveen Jindal got the Flag Code once again amended and secured permission to fly the National Flag even during night hours. Prior to December, 2009 flying of the National Flag during night was normally not allowed. Now if the Flag flies on a 100ft and above high flagpoles it could be flown even during nights when adequately illuminated.

NAVEEN JINDAL TAKES THE TIRANGA TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF PATRIOTISM, MONUMENTAL / GIANT POLES FLYING NATIONAL FLAG CAN ALSO BE HOISTED AT NIGHT

Home Ministry gives consent to Shri Jindal’s proposal

New Delhi, December 23, 2009 – Shri Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament, Kurukshetra took the National Flag to the next level of patriotism when the Home Ministry agreed to a proposal made by Shri Naveen Jindal to fly the flag at night also where the flag is installed on the monumental / giant poles.

In a representation to the Home Ministry in June 2009, Shri Jindal had sought permission to fly the mammoth sized national flag on monumental flagpoles. Citing the example of countries like Malaysia, Jordon, Abu Dhabi, North Korea, Brazil, Mexico and Turkmenistan where monumental flags are flown at night, Shri Jindal proposed for such flags to be flown in India also.

In response to the letter the Ministry has replied in affirmation saying that the matter had been examined and there was no objection to the proposal made by Shri Naveen Jindal to install monumental flagpoles to fly the National Flag day and night at various places.

Shri Naveen Jindal has hoisted the country’s highest flag in Kaithal and Ladwa (Kurukshetra), Hissar and Kurukshetra in Haryana. The flag hoisted are at a height of 206 feet and the dimension of the flag is 48 ft in breath and 72 feet in length. The total weight of the flag is 40 kgs.

After almost a decade long legal battle initiated by Shri Naveen Jindal on behalf of the people of India to give them the right to hoist the National Flag publically, the Hon’ble Supreme Court gave the landmark judgment saying that every citizen of the country has the right to fly the national flag with respect, dignity and honor thus becoming a fundamental right of every citizen. The decision prompted the Cabinet to amend the National Flag Code.

Inspired by the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court ‘Flag Foundation of India’ was established by Naveen Jindal through which he wanted every citizen of the country to associate himself with the Tiranga and to popularize the display of Tiranga by more and more Indians, with a great sense of pride. The Flag Foundation is a sincere effort to build a relationship of today’s youth with the Tricolor so that it becomes a power symbol of our struggle for independence and serves as a great source of inspiration for countless Indians, who are spread across the globe, bring laurels to the country in what ever the field they are.

India today is the country of youth, 75% of the people today are below 40 years of age, the most productive years of life where a person can change his dream into reality. Understanding the power of youth, Naveen Jindal a youth himself, launched a mass movement for the youth of the nation which is called as “Yuva Hindustani.” This revolutionary movement brings together the vibrant youth that aims to be the instrument of change in our country to make India and its people proud, happy and prosperous.

SMOKING BAN IN THE PARLIAMENT
Mr. Naveen Jindal as a young Parliamentarian took yet another initiative to ensure that the smoking ban is implemented in one of the most hallowed institutions of the country ­ The Parliament. His plea for enforcement of smoking ban in Parliament finally came into force in July, 2004."

CESS OF US $ 200 PER MT ON RICE WITHDRAWN BY THE GOVERNMENT
Mr. Jindal’s relentless efforts with Hon’ble Prime Minister, Minsters of Finance, Agriculture and Commerce, Govt. of India agreed to abolish cess of USD 200 (Rs. 8000) per tonne on export of Basmati Rice.

This will boost the production of Basmati Rice in the country apart from earning of foreign exchange for the country. The farmers will also be benefitted as the traders would offer them better prices for Basmati Rice.

JAIL REFORMS COMMITTEE
As convener of the Jail Reforms Committee of the Union Ministry of Home, Mr. Jindal visited several Jails in different parts of the country and then submitted a detailed report to the government recommending a number of reforms to improve the living conditions and other aspects of administration in jails.

INDIAN CURRENCY ACCEPTED AT DUTY FREE SHOPS IN THE COUNTRY
Mr. Jindal's proverbial tenacity paid off yet again when with the help and support of the Minister for Tourism and Culture and the then Union Finance Minister, Mr. P Chidambaram he got the Government of India issue orders allowing Indians to buy goods at duty free shops at international airports in India.

On 21st August 2002, Naveen Jindal wrote a letter to then Minister of Tourism and Culture, Shri Jagmohan, articulating his concerns about Indian currency not being accepted within India at ITDC run duty free shops, even though, under FEMA rules, an Indian resident was allowed to carry up to Rs. 5000/- while travelling abroad. Expressing his concern about the wrong signals it was sending to both Indians and foreign tourists about how Indian currency was not accepted in India.

The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), part of the Ministry of Tourism, forwarded Naveen Jindal's request to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), for its views. Subsequently, Mr. Jindal received a letter from ITDC on the 24th October, 2002, enclosing the RBI's reply dated 7th October, 2002, wherein it was made clear that once a traveller had checked through immigration and customs, Indian currency was not acceptable for duty free purchases.

Unfazed, Mr. Jindal pursued this case with his characteristic ardour, because issues of national pride, self esteem, and India's image in the world, have always been uppermost in his mind. After a few rounds of correspondence with the tourism ministry, Mr. Jindal took up the matter with the then Finance Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram and finally in early 2005, the central government decided to make Indian currency acceptable at duty free shops at international airports in India.

REVISED POLICY ON SHOOTERS
Shri. Naveen Jindal initiated many changes in the policy governing shooting as a sport:

• Renowned shooters can now sell old shooting weapons after 3 years instead of the earlier 5 years if status of renowned shooters is maintained for 3 years (5 years for other shooters) (August 2007)
• Import duty of 31.703% has been withdrawn on Air Weapons and Air Pellets (November 2008)
• The definition of renowned shooter was changed where earlier a shooter who was among the top ranking 25 shooters in the National Shooting Championship or among top ranking 15 shooters in a National Championship in an Open Men’s/Women/Civilian Event was considered to be a renowned shooter. Now any shooter attaining minimum qualifying score prescribed by the NRAI will be a renowned shooter (October 2007)
• Earlier shooters were allowed to import air weapons only after getting the import license. After the matter was taken up with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the Government has now allowed import of Air Guns and Air Pistols free of import license to shooters registered with the Club, Distt./State/National Association (July 2005)