AAP demands BJP MLA Eshwarappa's arrest for insulting tricolour; 'Traitor to the country'

After BJP MLA KS Eshwarappa predicted that the RSS flag will become the national flag one day, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh demanded his arrest. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Singh contended that this statement showed BJP's aversion to the national flag. Fuming at the insult to the tricolour, he lodged a formal complaint with the Station House Officer of the North Avenue Police Station urging that Eshwarappa be booked under IPC Section 124A (Sedition) and sections of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and the Flag Code of India, 2002. 

Sanjay Singh remarked, "This statement is akin to being a traitor to the country. I say that traitors to the country must be sent to jail. They didn't unfurl the tricolour at the RSS headquarters for 52 years. BJP is against the national flag. This is proved by this MLA's statement. He should be arrested and thrown into jail. No Indian will tolerate an insult to the national flag."

In his police complaint, he mentioned, "No person in this country can even think of changing the national flag. The tricolour- our nation's pride can never be changed. The 130 crore citizens of this country will not tolerate an insult to the national flag. It is a matter of sorrow and concern that a legislator of the biggest ruling party is giving such a statement. I request you to register an FIR against this MLA and those who support this statement and take strict action." 

Eshwarappa stokes row

On May 29, Eshwarappa commented, "Respect for saffron didn't begin yesterday or today, it has been respected for thousands of years. The Saffron flag is a sign of sacrifice. RSS flag will become a national flag someday, there is no doubt". Incidentally, he made a similar remark on February 9 earlier this year. The senior BJP leader had to resign from the Karnataka Cabinet on April 15 after he was booked under Section 306 of the IPC for allegedly abetting the suicide of contractor Santosh Patil.

Elaborating on his point about the national flag, Eshwarappa told the media, "Discussions are today taking place in the country on 'Hindu vichar' and 'Hindutva'. People used to laugh at one point when we said Ram Mandir will be constructed in Ayodhya, aren't we constructing it now? In the same way sometime in the future, after 100 or 200 or 500 years, saffron flag may become the national flag. I don't know".