BJP, Cong to continue flag fight in Karnataka Assembly, security tightened around colleges

The Congress in Karnataka is all set to corner the state government inside and outside the Assembly on the statement of Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development K.S. Eshwarappa regarding the hoisting of a saffron flag on the Red Fort.

Eshwarappa had issued the statement in the backdrop of the hijab row while answering charges on BJP leaders sponsoring 60 lakh saffron shawls for students to oppose wearing of hijab. Even as the High Court has constituted a larger bench and is looking into the issue on a day today basis, the hijab crisis continues in the state. The students wearing hijab took out protest marches and refused to go back demanding they should be allowed to attend classes with hijab in spite of an interim order.

The security has been tightened around colleges all over the state. Many students have stated that they would come back to colleges wearing hijab on Thursday, in spite of being turned away on Wednesday. The Chikkamaglur district administration has clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 as protests regarding hijab erupted in many colleges.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has clearly stated that there would be no soft approach henceforth from the police department, if students insist on wearing religious symbols violating the interim order.

The Congress, which is demanding resignation of Minister Eshwarappa for issuing a statement ‘insulting’ the national flag, has given a deadline to the ruling BJP to sack him. On the other hand, the Congress is also demanding that the BJP lodge an FIR against Eshwarappa under sedition sections. Ruling BJP and opposition Congress members had reached confrontational mode on Wednesday. State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar and Eshwrappa exchanged words in singulars and at one stage both rushed towards each other from their seats.

Shivakumar called Eshwarappa “rashtra drohi (traitor)”, while Eshwarappa chided Shivakumar that he was the one who had gone to jail. Siddararamaiah has attacked the RSS and stated that Eshwarappa is enslaved to the RSS and if ‘Manusmriti’ is implemented, he will become a shepherd or sweeper. He continued his attack on him by stating, “One can never be patriotic if he does not accept the national flag or opposes the constitution. BJP does not accept our nation flag or constitution. They are pseudo-nationalists and fake patriots.”

“We will continue to protest in both the Houses if minister Eshwarappa, who insulted our national flag, is not charged with sedition and dismissed by Thursday 11 a.m.,” Siddaramaiah stated on social media.

Mohammad Nalpad, the Youth Congress President, stated that if the police department does not take up suo moto case against Eshwarappa, they would approach the court and get the FIR registered under sedition charges. The Karnataka Assembly is all set to witness chaotic scenes and the issue is threatening to become another crisis situation, according to experts.