Flag row: K'taka Congress seeks Eshwarappa's dismissal

Bengaluru, Feb 18 (IANS) Congress will continue with its protest in the Assembly against Karnataka Minister K.S. Eshwarappa's saffron flag at the Red Fort remark, party President D.K. Shivakumar said on Friday.The agitation will be launched in all district headquarters and taluk centers from Monday, he added. Demanding strict against the minister, Shivakumar said: "We don't want Eshwarappa's resignation in this matter. Resignation is a respectable word. We seek his dismissal. Henceforth, we do not demand his resignation anymore. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai should dismiss Eshwarappa," he stated.Shivakumar further stated that representatives tender resignation on high moral grounds when tragedies occur. In this case, Eshwarappa has insulted the national flag by stating that the saffron flag will be hoisted on the Red Fort. Attacking Eshwarappa in singulars, the Congress leader stated that he will give a call to the party workers in all district and taluk centres to take up the protest from Monday onwards. "BJP does not know what the national flag is," he said.State Congress leaders are on a day and night dharna at state legislature demanding resignation of Eshwarappa from Thursday.Eshwarappa had kicked up a political storm by stating that one day the saffron flag will replace the tricolour at the Red Fort. Congress MLAs led by Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar had given a deadline for the ruling BJP to sack Eshwarappa.Bommai, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and the Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri personally went and met Congress leaders in the Assembly and requested them to take back the agitation. However, Congress leaders refused to soften their stand.Speaking to reporters on the hijab row and Hindu students coming to colleges wearing saffron shawls to protest against wearing of hijab by Muslim students, Eshwarappa had stated that the saffron flag might become the national flag of the nation. Saffron flag has already been declared as a national flag, he added."We will hoist the saffron flag on any flag post. Those who have sense must respect it. Earlier, people laughed when we declared that Ram temple would be built in Ayodhya, haven't we built it?" Eshwarappa questioned. "We will hoist the saffron flag at any given place in the world. It is our wish to be clad in saffron shawls," he said.
--IANS mka/shb/

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