Hindu groups take out rally at Mandya after Hanuman flag controversy

During the course of the padayatra, some protesters were seen pelting stones and tearing up flexes of Congress leaders after which the police resorted to caning to disperse the crowd.

The padayatra was part of a state-wide protest announced by the state BJP over the issue. The Congress accused the BJP of resorting to such tactics to create a base in Mandya district, where the saffron party has struggled to make inroads for quite a few years.

The controversy erupted on Sunday after officials of the district administration arrived at the village to remove the flags featuring Lord Hanuman hoisted atop a 108-foot pole by Sri Gowrishankar Seva Trust. This was based on a complaint that the trust had hoisted the saffron flag even though the local gram panchayat had granted permission only to hoist either the national or state flags, as the flagpole was on government land.

Protests erupted in the village soon after Hindu activists objected to the decision to remove the flag. Leader of Opposition R Ashok also visited the spot on Sunday and announced state-wide protests over the issue.

On Monday, after the padayatra, a protest was held in front of the Mandya DC office. JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy participated in the protest sporting a saffron flag and alleged that the issue surfaced because of the failure of the district administration.

“This issue could have been sorted out in two minutes. Your (Congress) leaders have created this situation,” he said, accusing the district officials of instigating the controversy by removing the saffron flag.

BJP leader C T Ravi demanded the state government to publicly apologise for removing the flag and allow it to be hoisted at the flagpole. “This is a sin committed by the district administration,” he said.

Speaking to reporters at Tumakuru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of resorting to such tactics keeping elections in mind. “If they (the trust) acted as per permission, why would the district administration interfere? The trust had said that they would hoist either the national or state flag,” he said, adding that it had also assured not to hoist the flag of any religion. “When the BJP doesn’t have an issue to fight elections, they create such issues,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru that the BJP was staging a protest to create a base for the BJP in Mandya. “They are trying to disturb peace,” he said.