Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party government is burnishing its nationalist credentials by setting up a cadre of volunteers to manage the 500 Tricolours it plans to install in the capital as well as help residents avail government schemes.

Sources said the formation of the Tiranga Samman Samitis (flag respect committees) was an attempt to match the RSS shakhas in their outreach while promoting a more inclusive nationalism through the exaltation of the national flag. Some 200 flags have been installed so far.

“I suggest that all Samman Samitis meet every Sunday at 10am and salute the Tiranga while singing the national anthem,” chief minister and AAP head Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday, addressing the 375 committees raised.

“All the committees should enrol 1,000 young volunteers for Bharat Mata. I shall have dinner with every committee that enrols 1,000 volunteers. These volunteers will not belong to the AAP, BJP or the Congress; they will be volunteers of Bharat Mata.”

He added: “Every committee should ensure that no one sleeps hungry in their area and everyone gets good education and health care. The committees should help the homeless reach night shelters and make safai karamcharis (sanitation staff) feel respected. I want to see the children begging at traffic lights become engineers and doctors.”

In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, the AAP has a similar project of Tiranga shakhas, designed to counter the RSS shakhas. While the AAP’s shakhas in Uttar Pradesh are part of the party cadre, the Samitis in Delhi will function under the public works department.

“Every time we look at the Tiranga, it brings about a sense of deshbhakti (patriotism), a sense of gratitude towards those who gave up everything for our independence,” Kejriwal said.

“It reminds us of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Rajguru, Shaheed Sukhdev. It signifies the values that Babasaheb Ambedkar gave us. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and countless other Indians fought day and night for this Tiranga to fly high.”

In 2021, the AAP government had announced plans to set up 500 high-mast national flags across Delhi — a cheaper challenge to the visual spectacle of the Centre’s Central Vista project.

Budget estimates have since risen to more than Rs 104 crore for these 35-metre-tall polyester flags that are illuminated through the night. This is higher than the budgets for several social sector projects, prompting the quip that it’s a “real flagship project”.

Of the 200 flags installed, 189 suffered tears in last week’s storm. In future, the Samitis will be expected to report such damage as soon as they occur and look after the maintenance of the flagpole sites.