K.S. Eshwarappa had courted controversy earlier by stating that one day saffron flag will be hoisted on the Red Fort.
BENGALURU — Karnataka Congress leaders have started a ‘dharna’ at the state legislature seeking dismissal of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa over his statement regarding the national flag.
Congress legislators spent the whole night inside the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council. They also demanded that Eshwarappa be booked for sedition regarding his statement about the national flag.
State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said on Friday that the agitation will be launched in all district headquarters and taluk centers from Monday.
Demanding strict action against the minister, Shivakumar said: “We don’t want Eshwarappa’s resignation in this matter. Resignation is a respectable word. We seek his dismissal. Henceforth, we do not demand his resignation anymore. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai should dismiss Eshwarappa,” he stated.
Shivakumar further stated that representatives tender resignation on high moral grounds when tragedies occur. In this case, Eshwarappa has insulted the national flag by stating that the saffron flag will be hoisted on the Red Fort.
Addressing reporters on Thusday outside the assembly, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, accusing BJP and Sangh Parivar of disrespecting the national flag, said the Congress has decided to stage ‘day-and-night’ protests, to take the issue to a “logical end”.
Eshwarappa had courted controversy earlier by stating that one day saffron flag will be hoisted on the Red Fort.
Responding to a question from reporters as to whether the saffron flag can be hoisted on the red fort, he had said, “not today, some day in the future.”
“Discussions are today taking place in the country on ‘Hindu vichara’ and ‘Hindutva’. People used to laugh at one point when we said Ram Mandir will be constructed in Ayodhya, aren’t we constructing it now? In the same way some time in the future, after 100 or 200 or 500 years Bhagwa dhwaj may become the national flag. I don’t know.”
Congress MLAs led by Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar had given deadline for the ruling BJP government to sack Eshwarappa till Thursday morning.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and the Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri personally went and met Congress leaders in the assembly and requested to end the “day and night” agitation. However, the Congress leaders refused to soften their stand.
“The Opposition has misunderstood minister Eshwarappa’s statement and is trying to create a wrong perception among the people. It is showing an anti-people attitude over the issue,” Bommai said.
“There is nothing wrong in Eshwarappa’s statement. It does not have any aspects against the law. The opposition has made it a big issue as they do not have any other issue. They are staging day and night dharna without any cause. it is not the way a responsible Opposition functions.
“It has completely forgotten its responsibility. They believe it would bring them political gains. But it would not bring them any dividends,” Bommai added. — IANS
— Inputs added
