On 28th January (Sunday), Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah justified the administration’s actions in Mandya where Police pulled down a Hanuman flag from a 108-foot pole. He argued that instead of the saffron flag, the national flag should have been hoisted.
Speaking on tensions in Mandya, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, “It is not right to fly the saffron flag instead of the national flag. They should have hoisted the national flag.”
Chitradurga | Karnataka Police force brought down the Hanuman flag hoisted by the Gram Panchayat Board of Mandya district on a 108-foot flagpole in the village of Keragodu.
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah says, "It is not right to fly the saffron flag instead of the national flag.… https://t.co/vkcHl2KZz7 pic.twitter.com/5lz10CnguB
Notably, tensions have been high in Mandya’s Keragodu village following the administration’s action with opposition parties BJP-JDS and Hindu organisations accusing Congress of taking an anti-Hindu stance and deteriorating the law and order situation.
Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra said, “When the Gram Panchayat board decided to hoist the Hanuman flag in the village of Keragodu in Mandya district, the state government showed the audacity to bring down the flag through the police force. The Congress government is the reason behind the deteriorating law and order situation of the state.”
Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra claims, "When the Gram Panchayat Board decided to hoist the Hanuman flag on a 108-feet high flagpole in the village of Keragodu in Mandya district, the state government showed the audacity to bring down the flag through the Police force.… pic.twitter.com/OJ6iyYpxnz
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024
Further, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka slammed the Congress government for taking “anti-Hindu stance”. He said, “What was the need for police action? Why didn’t the administration speak to the villagers? There was a gram panchayat resolution to allow the flag.”
“The Congress is against Ram and the Hanuman temple. They are doing this because of the Parliamentary election. They did this during the Ram temple inauguration also. I strongly oppose this. I will go to Mandya and protest. The Congress is provoking Hindus,” R Ashoka was quoted saying by Indian Express.
The administration pulled down the Hanuman Dhwaja arguing that it should be replaced by Indian flag
Tensions erupted in the region over the removal of the Hanuman flag by police on the 27th of January night in Karnataka’s Mandya district.
Last week, youngsters of Keragodu village had erected a 108-foot pole and hoisted a saffron flag bearing the image of Lord Hanuman near a Ram temple with permission from the village Panchayat. However, some villagers did not like this and complained about the matter.
As per the news agency PTI, the people of Keragodu and 12 neighbouring villages had collected money for the installation of the flag. Additionally, BJP and JD(S) workers were also actively involved in this initiative.
A local source said, “Ahead of the Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya, BJP and JD(S) workers collected money and installed a 108-ft flagpole and hoisted a saffron flag with pictures of Hanuman in Keragodu village on January 19. However, a section of people filed a complaint with the taluk administration and local officials were given a direction to remove it.”
Earlier, the villagers had gathered at the place as the panchayat officials arrived to remove the flag. They held a demonstration against the government and chanted “go back” slogans.
The people insisted that they had raised the flag in concert with one another, but the authorities refused to listen to them. A protest broke out when the village panchayat took down the flag. The police employed lathi-charge to drive the locals out after they continued to resist. Hindus had been gathering there since the previous evening and on 28th January the environment grew more intense.
The flag was taken off by the cops which fumed the protestors who raised slogans against CM Siddharamaiah and Congress MLA Ravi Kumar. His banners were broken. They also called for a bandh (shutdown). Stores were voluntarily closed down in opposition. People began preparing food on the main thoroughfare and utilised the banners of Ravi Kumar to light a fire.
On its part, Mandya Superintendent of Police claimed that the chief executive officer (CEO) Sheikh Tanveer Asif of the Gram Panchayat made the decision to pull down the flag and the inhabitants of the village objected to it. According to the CEO of Mandya District Panchayat, the trust had asked for authorisation to put up a pole to fly the flag of the country. Permission to fly the national flag on government property was granted in accordance with protocol, but thereafter a saffron flag was raised in its place which has been taken down legally and everything is under control.
