Amid the controversy surrounding the Hanuman Flag removal in Keragodu village in Mandya district of Karnataka, BJP has announced protests across the state and one in Bengaluru today; section 144 has been imposed in the village for the same.
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New Delhi: A controversy with respect to the removal of the Hanuman flag in the Keragodu village of the Mandya District in Karnataka has taken a political turn. The issue began after a group of men had erected a 108-foot flagpole with a saffron Hanuman flag in Keragodu village last week; the village panchayat had granted permission for the same but after complaints were filed against it, officials requested the removal of the flag. Amid the controversy surrounding the Hanuman Flag hoisting, the opposition party in Karnataka has announced protests across Karnataka and one at Mysuru Bank Circle in Bengaluru today. Section 144 has also been imposed in the Keragodu village as a security measure but despite protests in the Karnataka capital, Bengaluru Bandh is not likely. Know all details..
BJP Announces Protests Across Karnataka, One In Bengaluru Today
As mentioned earlier, members of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), along with JD(S) and Bajrang Dal condemned the removal of the flagpost in Keragodu village and have announced protests across all districts of Karnataka in the coming days. The opposition party in Karnataka has also specifically announced a protest at the Mysuru Bank Circle in Bengaluru today.
Section 144 Imposed In Keragodu Village, Karnataka
To ensure security and peace in the area, the government has also imposed Section 144 in the Keragodu village. The protests in the village have been going on for the past week and to control the unrest, multiple police personnel were deployed who also resorted to lathi charge. As a mark of protest, shops were closed and when Gram Panchayat officials visited the village to remove the flag, they received ‘Go Back’ slogans.
Protest Rally From Village To District Collector’s Office
Amid the prevailing tension in Karnataka’s Mandya district following the removal of a saffron flag hoisted on a 108-foot flagpole in Keragodu village, security has been beefed up in the district as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) have called for a protest rally from the village to the District Collector’s office. Former Village Panchayat vice president, Virupaksha said that when the “request letter” was written, it was mentioned that the flagpole would also be used for religious purposes.
“The Chief Minister does not know the reality of this controversy. The officer at the district level has given the wrong information to the Chief Minister. When we wrote the request letter, we mentioned that would also use this for religious purposes. What we are requesting is to permit us to hoist the saffron flag,” Virupaksha said.
Bengaluru Traffic Affected As Protest Intensifies
BJP and JDS workers hold protest in Keragodu village, Mandya over the Hanuman flag hoisted by the Gram Panchayat Board of Mandya district, which was brought down by the district administration, yesterday.
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Karnataka Police has also detained a few BJP workers who have been staging protests in Bengaluru over the flag issue.
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar Reacts On Protests
The Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, DK Shivakumar has reacted to the protests and has said that the protestors are lacking common sense and that the government cannot let them take the law in his hands. On BJP-JDS workers’ protest in Mandya, Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, “They should have basic common sense. Let them do politics. We respect all religions. We can’t allow anyone to take the law into their hands.”
CM Siddaramaiah On Hanuman Flag Controversy
In his response CM Siddaramiah on Sunday said that it was not right to hoist the Bhagwa flag insted of the Indian flag. Accusing the BJP of plotting against the state government by intimidating people in the village, the Chief Minister said, “It is no accident that the Hanuman flag is hoisted where the national flag should have been hoisted, deliberately violating the rules and protesting against the government.”
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“This incident is a pre-arranged act of the BJP and Sangh Parivar. Such a situation has been created with the intention of systematically raising the people against the state government. There is no doubt that the plot to create communal riots in Mandya is a preparation for the Lok Sabha elections by the BJP leaders,” Siddaramaiah claimed.
So far, no traffic restrictions have been imposed in the city with respect to the protests.
