Mandya (Karnataka) : The controversy over the removal of the Hanuman flag in Keragodu village in Mandya district has triggered state-wide protests by the BJP and the JDS today. The saffron party activists holding saffron flags and raising slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' took out a massive padayatra from Anjaneya Swamy Temple in Keragodu this morning.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the opposition of trying to instigate the people against the State government keeping an eye on the coming Lok Sabha elections. He appealed to the people to 'thwart the conspiracy of communalists by observing peace and restraint'. On their part, the Mandya district officials hoisted the national flag at the place where the Hanuman flag was stated to have been illegally unfurled.
The Padayatra of the BJP and JDS from Kalikambha temple reached the Deputy Commissioner's office in Mandya district headquarters. The police had to use mild lathicharge to disperse the angry protesters who at one time tried to vandalise a flex of CM Siddaramaiah. The BJP activists demanded restoration of Hanuman flag.
More than a thousand people including JDS-BJP workers participated in the Padayatra. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka (BJP) and state JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy joined the protests. Former Minister KC Narayana Gowda, CS Puttaraju, former MLAs Pritam Gowda, Suresh Gowda, DC Tammanna and many others also participated.
The police have taken strict precautions to prevent any untoward incident and tight security has been deployed near the DC office. Bandobast has been carried out under the leadership of Mandya SP N Yatish and more than 400 police including SP, ASP and Inspectors have been deployed.
A protest was held at Mysuru Bank Circle in Bengaluru where the agitating activists were taken into custody by the police. The police issued a notice to BJP Bengaluru North District President S Harish and South District President CK Ramamurthy in this regard. Despite the police notice, they protested at Mysore Bank Circle and then the BJP leaders and workers were taken into custody.
In his reaction, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "We are not against any particular caste, religion, community, our stand is pro-constitution. Knowledgeable Kannadigas should thwart the conspiracy of communalists by observing peace and restraint."
The CM took to X, saying: "The Gauri Shankar Seva Trust of Keragodu village of Mandya taluk has given Letter of Undertaking that they should allow the construction of a flagpole in the premises of the Keragodu theatre. They will use that flagpole only for the purpose of hoisting the flag of Karnataka and the tricolor flag. Besides, they are bound by the conditions of the village panchayat."
Siddaramaiah said that the village panchayat has allowed the installation of a flagpole. "After that, the national flag that was hoisted there was taken down and the Hanuman flag was hoisted at that place. The district administration told the people to lower the flag in view of the violation of rules. However, the locals rejected the request of the police and the district administration," CM said.
Also, the CM strongly objected to the incident, saying, "It is no accident that the Hanuman flag has been flown where the national flag should have been flown. This incident is a pre-planned act by the BJP and the Sangh Parivar. It was done to instigate the people against the state government. The plot to create communal riots in Mandya is a preparation for the Lok Sabha elections by the BJP leaders. There is no doubt about it."
Mandya District In-charge Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy said that there was politics behind this issue and that only national flag can be hoisted in the panchayat area and none else. "It is wrong to first get permission for the tricolor flag and then hoist another flag. If we allow it here, they will fly it in front of the DC office also. Will you allow it?" he asked.
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