Karnataka News

“Not Right To Fly Saffron Flag, Should Have Hoisted National Flag”, Karnataka Congress CM Siddaramaiah Justifies Bringing Down Hanuman Flag

January 29, 2024
The Commune

Amid escalating tensions in Karnataka’s Mandya district following the removal of a Hanuman flag, security measures have been heightened, and a significant number of police personnel have been deployed in response to a protest rally organized by the BJP and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS).

The controversy unfolded in Keragodu village after the district administration took down a Hanuman flag from a 108-foot flagpole and replaced it with the national flag. Villagers had initially erected the ‘Hanuman Dwaj’ with permission from the village Panchayat, sponsored by residents of Keragodu and 12 neighboring villages, along with various NGOs. Subsequently, the removal of the Hanuman flag led to villagers calling for a ‘bandh’ (shutdown) and encountering strong opposition, particularly from a significant number of women in the village. In response, the police resorted to a lathi charge, and restrictions under Section 144 were imposed.

Protesting the removal, villagers chanted slogans and expressed anger against CM Siddaramaiah and Congress intensifying the situation on 28 January 2024. The Mandya Superintendent of Police claimed that the Gram Panchayat CEO decided to remove the flag due to objections from the villagers. Originally, permission had been granted for the national flag, but a saffron flag was raised instead, leading to its legal removal.

On the same day, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the authorities’ actions, arguing that the national flag should have been hoisted instead of the saffron flag. Siddaramaiah accused the BJP and Sangh Parivar of intentionally violating rules and orchestrating protests against the government, claiming it was a pre-planned act to systematically mobilize people against the state government and create communal tension in Mandya in preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra criticized the use of police force to bring down the Hanuman flag, blaming the Congress for the deteriorating law and order situation.

Leader of Opposition R Ashoka accused the Congress of taking an “anti-Hindu stance” and provoking Hindus for political reasons. The incident involved a group authorized by the village Panchayat to raise the national flag, installing a 108-foot pole but hoisting a Hanuman flag instead, leading to protests upon the village panchayat’s request for removal.

Tensions escalated, as the BJP-JDS and Hindu organizations accused the Congress of holding an anti-Hindu stance, prompting them to organize demonstrations against the Congress.

The Karnataka Police arrested BJP workers protesting the removal of the Hanuman flag.

Earlier, the Karnataka Congress government crackdown against Ram Mandir activists by reopening cases that are three decades old immediately after the election win, justifying similar stance.

(with inputs from OpIndia)

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