Amid boiling tension in Karnataka’s Mandya district since Sunday, January 28, the Keragodu village panchayat development officer (PDO) has been suspended.
The suspension was on the orders of Mandya zila panchayat chief executive officer Sheikh Tanveer Asif.
No action even after saffron flag was hoisted
The permission to hoist the Indian National Flag on the occasion of Republic Day was granted by the PDO.
According to the Deccan Herald, the Hanuman dwaja was hoisted from a 108-ft tall flag post by Hindutva elements on January 19.
On January 28, when people objected to the saffron flag and demanded its being replaced by the Indian National flag, the PDO allegedly did nothing to stop the discord.
The report stated that he remained a mute spectator after matters started escalating and police had to be called to maintain the situation calm.
The panchayat sub-divisional officer, the tehsildar along the police officers present removed the saffron flag. The PDO was held accountable.
Mandya district has been simmering with agitation over the removal of a “Hanuman Dhwaja,”. However, even as reports of padayatra by Opposition political parties such as the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) on January 28 emerged, the police maintained that the area was under control and normalcy had returned.
The Opposition has been constantly opposing the removal of the saffron flag with a portrait of Lord Hanuman from a 108 ft. tall flagpole.
Tactics to gain political mileage: CM
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has alleged this is just a part of gaining political mileage. “There are people amongst us who worship (Nathuram) Godse though they speak about Mahatma Gandhi as well,” Siddaramaiah told reporters after paying homage to Gandhi on his death anniversary in Bengaluru.
‘Descendants of Godse’, CM attacks Oppn
When asked about the tense situation in Mandya, Siddaramaiah said attempts are being made to disturb peace. “Those disturbing peace are the descendants of Godse,” he said in an apparent reference to Gandhi’s killer.
“People should live with love and trust for peace in the society. No one should try to inflame communal passions,” the chief minister said.
Siddaramaiah reiterated that the Keragodu Panchayat had granted permission to hoist tricolor or Karnataka flag only and not any religious or political flag.
“Why did they (organisers of the event in Keragodu who hoisted a saffron flag) go against their own written submission for permission to conduct the event? It was done to gain political mileage and create unrest in society,” he alleged.
(with PTI inputs)
