In Keragodu Village, Mandya, Karnataka, the Congress Party’s stance on Ram, Hanuman, and Sanatana dharma is becoming increasingly evident to the general public. The incident involving the removal of a Hanuman Dhwaja (flag) in Keragodu sheds light on Congress’ position regarding the Hindu religion. This prompts us to ponder: would Congress adopt a similar approach if it were an event associated with the Muslim community?
What is the Hanuman Flahpole Controversy in Keragodu?
The controversy unfolded last week when the local people raised a Hanuman flag in the village after getting permissions from the relevant officials. The village panchayat initially granted permission for the installation of the flagpole, but a few complaints possibly from the people of other faith, led officials to remove Hanuman flag. Following this, a massive tension erupted between the ruling party and BLP along with general people.
Karnataka police arrested BJP workers for protesting against the removal of Hanuman Ji's flag by Congress gvt.
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) January 29, 2024
Imagine the amount of outrage if BJP govt stop MusIims from celebrating their festival & arrest them…
Bl00dy secularism…. pic.twitter.com/iQkl2f3LLJ
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized the hoisting of the Hanuman flag, asserting that it was an intentional violation of rules and a direct protest against the government. He accused the BJP of orchestrating a plot against the state government, alleging that the party resorted to intimidation tactics in the village. The CM firmly stated that the act of raising the Hanuman flag in place of the national flag was not accidental but a deliberate and provocative action aimed at undermining the authority of the government.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been issued due to the escalating tensions. Protests intensified when villagers closed their shops in defiance. Gram Panchayat officials faced resistance when attempting to remove the flag, resulting in chants of ‘Go Back’ from the villagers.
To quell the unrest, the police resorted to a lathi charge and replaced the Hanuman flag with the national flag on the flagpole. Official sources revealed that the flag post’s installation was funded by residents of Keragodu and 12 neighboring villages.
District In-charge Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy clarified that the flagpole’s location falls under the panchayat’s jurisdiction. He highlighted that permission was initially obtained for hoisting the national flag on Republic Day and voiced concerns about potential political motivations behind the installation of the Hanuman flag.
