Karnataka Congress leaders have begun a ‘dharna’ at Karnataka Assembly demanding the resignation of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa over his saffron flag remark.
Earlier, BJP leader Eshwarappa had sparked controversy by stating that one day saffron flag will be hoisted on the Red Fort. Karnataka Congress MLAs led by Siddaramaiah and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar had given deadline for the ruling government to terminate Eshwarappa till the next morning.
Last week, Eshwarappa had said, “Today in this country we are discussing Hindutva and Hindu Vichara (Hindu ideology). People used to laugh at one point when we said a Ram mandir would 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, the bhagwa dhwaj (saffron flag) may become the national flag. I don’t know.”
Requesting to end the “day and night agitation”, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri had personally met Congress leaders in the assembly. However, the Congress MLAs refused to give up their demand.
Accusing Congress of creating unrest, Bommai said, “The Opposition has misunderstood Eshwarappa’s statement and is trying to create a wrong perception among the people. It is showing an anti-people attitude over the issue.”
There is nothing wrong in Eshwarappa’s statement, he said adding that “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,” the chief minister said.
