On 28 Jan, the village of Keragodu in Karnataka witnessed heightened tensions as a 108-foot tall flagpole carrying a ‘Hanuma dwaja,’ a saffron flag adorned with Lord Hanuman’s image, was removed. This sparked strong backlash from the local community and political parties, escalating into a heated confrontation with the police.
The incident began when the police took down the Hanuma Dwaja, which featured an image of Lord Hanuman, following complaints from unidentified persons. The villagers of Keragodu and 12 neighboring villages had reportedly pooled funds for the installation of the flag. This move by the authorities triggered protests, with locals expressing their dissatisfaction with the removal.
#WATCH | 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. https://t.co/W33uSviCeJ pic.twitter.com/fcbYv2sgzJ
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024
Despite objections and an overnight vigil by the villagers, the situation escalated on Sunday morning when the police used force to clear the area. The Mandya district in-charge clarified that the flagpole’s location fell under the panchayat’s jurisdiction, and while permission was obtained for hoisting the national flag, it was later replaced without authorization.
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka criticized the government’s handling of the situation, questioning the necessity of police intervention and expressing concerns about the lack of dialogue with the villagers. The incident fueled political tensions, with opposition leaders condemning what they perceived as an “anti-Hindu stance” by the government.
Amidst the unrest, police and administration officials decided to replace the Hanuma dwaja with the national tricolor on the flagpole. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addressed the incident, emphasizing the importance of hoisting the national flag over any other and highlighting the need to adhere to democratic principles and the Constitution.
In response to the controversy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suggested that the Hanuman flag could be installed at a private place or near a temple, expressing a willingness to support such initiatives. However, he firmly stated, “It is not right to fly the saffron flag instead of the national flag. They should have hoisted the national flag,” as quoted by ANI. Opposition leaders continued to criticize the government’s actions, accusing it of using “police oppression” to remove the flag.
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