Row over removal of Hanuman flag intensifies in Karnataka, BJP-JD(S) lock horns with Congress govt.
The situation in Keragodu remained tense on Monday and security beefed up in the village, a day after a row broke out over the removal of a 'Hanuman Dhwaja' as protests continued, demanding that the flag with a portrait of Lord Hanuman be reinstated.
The situation remained tense, but under control, even as the incident led to a political slugfest between the Congress government and opposition BJP-JD(S), who have joined the protests.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the opposition BJP and JD(S) of trying to instigate people on the issue with an eye on the coming Lok Sabha elections.
Police on Sunday had resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control. The police and administration had hoisted the Tricolour replacing the 'Hanuman Dhwaja'.
On Monday, the protesters marched from Keragodu to the Deputy Commissioner's office in the district headquarters of Mandya holding saffron flags amid chants of "Jai Sri Ram". They raised slogans against the Congress government. BJP leaders C T Ravi and Preetham Gowda were among those who took part.
As the march reached Mandya city, police resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd as some of the activists allegedly tried to target a flex with the image of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other Congress leaders, official sources said.
A large contingent of police force has been deployed as a precautionary measure, as people of Keragodu and surrounding villages, along with BJP, JD(S) and Bajrang Dal workers and activists from other organisations continued to protest the removal of the flag and demanded that it be hoisted once again.
Siddaramaiah clarified the authorities had to intervene as permission was taken to hoist the tricolour and Kannada flag only. He also hit back at the BJP for calling him "anti-Hindu", and asserted he is a Hindu who loves people from all religions.
On Leader of Opposition R Ashoka (BJP) and state JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy joining the protest, Siddaramaiah said they are engaged in instigating people.
"Why are they protesting? Why are they instigating the people? What for? As elections are coming, they are doing all these things. See, we have no objection, if they (those who hoisted saffron flag) had abided by the conditions under which permission was granted by Panchayat, why would the district administration have interfered?" he asked.
A large number of women from Keragodu and surrounding villages participated in the protests. The agitation will continue till the saffron flag is re-hoisted, leaders in the forefront said.
Slogans against the district administration and the Congress government were raised in the protests along with "Jai Sri Ram" chants.
In Keragodu, police have also erected barricades around the flagpole and CCTV cameras have been installed in the area to secure the place and to ensure that no untoward incident occurs, official sources said.
Most shops and establishments have remained shut in the village, they said, as protesting activists and villagers had given a call for a voluntary shutdown.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders and workers held protests at the district headquarters, condemning the "anti-Hindu policy" of the Congress government and accusing it of "insulting" the national flag.
In Bengaluru, BJP staged a protest at Mysuru Bank circle under the leadership of Jayanagara MLA C K Ramamurthy and other leaders.
They were detained and taken away by the police. Police said no permission was granted to stage a protest at the site.
On Sunday, a row broke out in Keragodu after authorities removed the 'Hanuma dwaja' from a 108-ft-tall flag post.
Mandya District in-charge Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy had said the flagpole's location falls under the panchayat's jurisdiction, and permission was obtained to hoist the national flag, which was done on Republic Day, "but it was replaced by another flag that evening".
Siddaramaiah had also stated that instead of hoisting the national flag, a 'bhagwa dhwaja' (saffron flag) had been raised. "It is not right. I have asked (the authorities concerned) to hoist the national flag," he had said.
