VHP to launch campaign following Hanuman flag row

Bengaluru: Karnataka Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) unit on Monday said that it will launch the Hanuman Dhwaj campaign in the state and Hanuman flags will be hoisted on every road and house of the state.

The party’s announcement came in the backdrop after the authorities replaced the Hanuman flag with the Tricolour for the January 26 Republic Day function.

“In Keragodu of Mandya, all Ram bhakts had hoisted the Hanuman flag. But, for Muslim votes, the Karnataka government has removed the flag. It needs to be hoisted again just like it was brought down,” Sharan Pumpwell, Prantha Saha Karyadarshi of VHP told media persons.

He said that the Hanuman Dhwaj campaign will be carried out in Karnataka and the flags of Hanuman will be hoisted on every road and on every home. “We will show our devotion towards Lord Hanuman in this manner to the government,” Sharan said.

He said that Hindus, devotees of Ram and Hanuman are pained by the development. “We are not against hoisting of the Tricolour. But there are a set of guidelines to hoist the national flag. They have insulted the national flag as well. The people who insulted the national flag should be charged with sedition,” he said.

Sri Rama Sena founder Pramod Muthalik said that the Congress does not like the saffron colour and they even do not like Hindus and Hindutva. “The whole nation is swept by the tsunami of Sri Ram. Congress is unable to digest the celebration which is being witnessed in every home and every village of the country,” he said.

He said that saffron does not belong to a person or a party but is thousands of years of heritage. “If Muslims have objection to it, they must explain that it is neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan. In Hindustan, the saffron flag will always flutter,” Muthalik said.

He said that in Keragodu the Hanuman flag was hoisted on a 108-feet-tall flag pole. Local people had installed it on January 22. On January 26, the Tricolour was hoisted. The Hanuman's flag should be hoisted again,” Muthalik said.

Karnataka BJP unit has launched a protest in all district headquarters on Monday condemning the incident of authorities taking down the saffron flag hoisted at Keragodu village in Mandya district.

Reacting on the developments, the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that BJP is creating trouble unnecessarily. “There is no opposition to hoist the Hanuman flag. The people had got the permission to hoist the Tricolour,” the Chief Minister said.

“I am also a Hindu. I love people of all religions. We have faith in the secularism enshrined in the Constitution which means tolerance and coexistence. LoP R. Ashoka and JD (S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy is provoking Hindus by making visits to Mandya. They are only provoking Hindus as elections are nearing,” the Chief Minister said.