Bharatiya Janata Party Karnataka leader CT Ravi made a controversial remark by likening the Indian National flag with that of Taliban’s flag.
Speaking to the news agency ANI, he said, “Today the Congress wants to remove the Hanuman flag and install the Taliban flag… We will install the Hanuman flag today. The times of Taliban flags have passed…”
On Monday, January 29, BJP leaders took out a march in protest against the lowering of the Hanuman flag in Karnataka’s Mandya district from Keragodu village to the deputy commissioner’s office demanding strict action against police officials who replaced the Hanuman dwaja with the Indian National Flag.
Earlier in the day, police had to resort to lathi charge after villagers clashed with them over the lowering of the Hanuman flag. The incident has led to a political slugfest with the opposition BJP-JD(S) locking horns with the Congress government.
Opposition leader HD Kumaraswamy joined the protest. CM Siddaramaiah called it an election gimmick. “Why are they protesting? Why are they instigating the people? What for? As elections are coming, they are doing all these things,” he remarked.
“BJP is creating unnecessary issues. They had only taken permission to host the #NationalFlag and the #KannadaFlag. The district administration has taken action on this. Elections are coming so #BJP is making this a political issue. I am a #Hindu and I love all people. I believe in co-existence and tolerance,” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.
Slogans against the district administration and the Congress government were raised in the protests along with “Jai Sri Ram” chants.
