On 22nd July 1947, Sayid Mohammed Saadulla [Assam Muslim] at the Constituent Assembly spoke as follows;
“I am glad Sir that the Flag remain as it is and that the Amendment proposed were not moved, for India is represented in different in the different colours of this Flag. India is very well noted for her spiritual assignments. Everywhere, it is admitted that India has got a great spiritual message to send out to the different countries of the World.
The Saffron as is well known is the colour of all those people who live the spiritual not only among Hindus but also among Muslims therefore the Saffron Colour should remind that we should keep ourselves on the flame of renunciation which has been the realm of Sadhus and Saints, Seers and Pundits, I therefore inclusion of this colour in the Flag. Next I will come to White portion. White among both Hindus and Muslims is the emblem of purity. I, congratulate Indian National Congress that by a gold stroke of the imagination took up the White as the symbol of their creed. The presence of the White portion in this Flag should remind everyone who takes it up that we must be pure not only in word but also in deed. Purity should be a motto of our life – individually as well as the connection with the State.
Lastly, Sir, Green reminds me of the fact that it was the Emblem the upsurge of India’s freedom. Green was the Emblem of the Flag which was raised by Bahadur Shah in 1857. But it has more than a sentimental or symbolical value towards Muslims because Green was the colour of the Flag of the Muslims from the time of the Great Prophet of Arabia 13 centuries ago. Some may regret that the Chakra of the Emblem of the masses was replaced by Dharma Chakra of Ashoka but I consider that it was really the heaven born inspiration of the Authority that this Chakra now takes the place of Charka although he Charka was the Emblem of our self-help and of our approach to the common masses and was embodied in our activities by the message of Mahatma yet towards the later stage the ideal of Charka has been polluted, instruction or inspiration of Mahatma Gandhiji has been deviated from and those who wore Charka which was the symbol of non-violence or most violence in their action which at one time Pandit Nehru had great personal risk to assuage. The Dharma Chakra of Ashoka reminds us of the condition of the people at the time of great Buddhist Emperor of India he ruled not for is personal aggrandizement but for contentment peace and prosperity of the people under his charge, this Emblem now embodied in our National Flag ought to remind every administrator and every citizen of the federation of India that we should forget the past and the look to the future and to carry on the tradition of that great Buddhist Emperor Ashoka and we should be reminded at all time that we are here not only for material prosperity also for our sincere advancement with Chakra religious Emblem and we cannot dissociate our social life from our environment. Sir with these words not only on behalf of myself and also as deputy leader of the Muslim League Party as an old inhabitant of the furthest and smallest Province of the Indian Union Assam, I salute this Flag as a symbol of India’s Freedom.”
Comment: I expect that the spirit of the speech should be followed in the coming decades too. The founder of Buddhism renounced a throne but his followers ascended the throne as an irony of historical fate!