As tension prevailed in Karnataka‘s Mandya district following the removal of a saffron flag, security has been beefed up in the region, and a massive number of police personnel have been deployed after the BJP and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) called for a protest rally today.
Heavy forces were deployed in the Keragodu village where the Hanuman flag hoisted by the Gram Panchayat Board on a 108-foot flagpole was brought down by the district administration on Sunday, leading to a massive row.
The BJP and JDS have called for a protest rally from Keragodu to the District Collector’s office and restrictions under Section 144 have been imposed.
The controversy erupted after a group of people, permitted by the village panchayat to hoist the national flag, erected a 108-foot-tall flagpole. But instead of the national flag, they hoisted a Hanuman flag. The village panchayat officials requested the removal of the Hanuman flag, leading to protests.
The Hanuman flag was taken down, and the villagers later called for a ‘bandh‘.
On Monday, protests were held in the area despite prohibitory orders, with people gathering in groups and shouting slogans.
Commenting on the incident, Chief Minister Siddaramiah said that it was not right to hoist the Hanuman flag instead of the Indian flag and he accused the BJP of plotting against the state government.
“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. This incident is a pre-arranged act of the BJP and Sangh Parivar. Such a situation has been created to systematically raise 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.
