Siddaramaiah lashes out at Karnataka minister's 'saffron flag atop red fort' remark

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah hit out at Minister KS Eshwarappa for allegedly saying a saffron flag may be hoisted atop the Red Fort. Siddaramaiah said, "The chief minister should sack him from the Cabinet."

High drama ensued in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday after Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah hit out at Minister KS Eshwarappa. Siddaramaiah moved an adjournment motion against Eshwarappa for allegedly saying a saffron flag may be hoisted atop the Red Fort.

Siddaramaiah sought that the minister be removed from the cabinet and said, "Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa recently said, 'We will hoist a saffron flag at Red Fort.' At Red Fort, only the national flag will be hoisted."

"He spoke with no respect to the flag, the country and the Constitution. The Constitution says all citizens should respect the flag, anthem," Siddaramaiah said.

"The chief minister should sack him from the Cabinet. He has no right to continue as minister after this statement. The CM should take suo motu action and dismiss him," Siddaramaiah said.

Last week, KS Eshwarappa claimed 'bhagwa dhwaj' (saffron flag) may become the national flag sometime in the future. However, according to news agency PTI, he said tricolour is the national flag now, and it should be respected by everyone.

"Hundreds of years ago, the chariots of Sri Ramachandra and Maruthi had saffron flags on them. Was the tricolour flag there in our country then? Now it (tricolour) is fixed as our national flag, what respect it has to be given, should be given by every person who takes food in this country, there is no question about it," Eshwarappa said.

Responding to a question by reporters about whether the saffron flag can be hoisted on the red fort, he said, "not today, some day in the future."