In MP's Jabalpur, pro-Hindu groups protest against civic body for removing saffron flags

Several Hindu organisations staged a protest against the municipal corporation in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh on Saturday after saffron flags were taken down from poles and thrown into garbage vehicles. The workers of Hindu organisations created ruckus on the streets and raised slogans accusing the municipal corporation of insulting the saffron flag. The groups accused the corporation of prejudice and sloganeered against the commissioner.

The workers of several Hindu organisations took to the streets of Jabalpur to stage protests and raised slogans after the municipal corporation allegedly took down saffron flags placed by them. Reportedly, the Hindu organisations had hoisted the saffron flags across the city to celebrate the occasion of the Hindu new year.

The protesting workers of groups including the Vishva Hindu Parishad are reportedly demanding the termination of the commissioner who ordered the takedown of the flags. Following the event, several officials of the municipal corporation made attempts to convince the workers to stop the protest but failed. The angry mob reportedly sloganeered against the officials and demanded strict action against them.

Eshwarappa's saffron flag controversy

Earlier last month, Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa stirred up a major controversy after stating in the legislative assembly that the saffron flag may become the National Flag of India in the future. He, however, also said the 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. But it should be respected by every person who eats and dwells in this country, there is no question about it," Eshwarappa had said.  

The issue swelled up as the opposition party Congress opposed his remarks and protested against them. The state Congress had also demanded Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai terminate Eshwarappa from the position of a state minister. Meanwhile, Karnataka RSS leaders later endorsed the statement made by Eshwarappa and asserted that ‘it could happen one day if Hindu Samaj comes together’, which further raised the controversy.

Image: PTI/ Representative image