Bengaluru: Police Remove Green Flag Hoisted At Shivajinagar Amid Hanuman Flag Controversy

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) A dispute over the removal of a Hanumadhwaja (saffron flag) in Keragodu village, Mandya district, has sparked a series of flag-related controversies across the state of Karnataka. The incident unfolded when the Mandya Police decided to remove a saffron flag installed at Keragodu, leading to protests and political ramifications.

The 108-foot-high flagpole, hoisted by the local Shree Gauri Shankar Seva Trust in Keragodu, bore a Hanuman flag, prompting the government to step in and enforce regulations against displaying religious flags in public spaces. The police cleared the saffron flag, igniting a wave of protests in the village and setting off a saffron flag conflict that reverberated throughout the state.
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Following this, the Bengaluru Police took action by removing a green (Muslim) flag installed at Chandni Chowk in Shivajinagar. The move was prompted by a social media post highlighting the presence of the Muslim flag on a high-mast electricity pole in Chandni Chowk. The Bengaluru Police, in collaboration with BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) street light maintenance staff, swiftly took down the flag.

The incident in Shivajinagar unfolded similarly to the one in Mandya, where the national flag replaced the religious flag after its removal. The police, upon investigation, found that the green flag had been installed unofficially without obtaining the necessary permissions from the BBMP. The authorities immediately took action to rectify the situation.
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In response to the removal of the green flag, the local mosque staff and Muslim community leaders were informed by the police. Syed Akmal Pasha, a member of the Muslim community, expressed opposition to the police action, stating that the flag had been a tradition in the area for the past 30 years. However, the police clarified that they were acting by regulations and requested the removal of the flag.

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