Defending Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa who recently claimed that 'Bhagwa dhwaj' (saffron flag) may become the national flag sometime in the future and the same may be hoisted on the Red Fort, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the minister has not committed any mistake.
The chief minister's remarks have come after the state assembly witnessed heated exchanges on Thursday, with Eshwarappa and state Congress president D.K. Shivakumar charging towards each other inside the house.
Chaos prevailed inside the house after Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah sought to move an adjournment motion demanding a dismissal and sedition case against Eshwarappa over his remarks. When Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said he wanted to hear out the minister, Shivakumar said they cannot allow Eshwarappa to speak.
PTI reported that the minister said something which wasn't audible because of all the noise in the house, but Shivakumar claimed that Eshwarappa said "this (House) is not your (Shivakumar) father's property."
The Congress leader charged towards the minister and Eshwarappa too walked from his seat towards Shivakumar, but the speaker intervened and adjourned the house for lunch while marshals, along with some MLAs from both sides, tried to pacify those who were engaged in heated arguments.
Later, Bommai said Eshwarappa has issued a clarification. "He (Eshwarappa) didn't say that saffron flag will be hoisted at the Red Fort immediately but in another 300 or 500 years. He said it may or may not happen. He also added that we have accepted the national flag and no one must disrespect it," news agency ANI quoted the CM as saying.
Bommai said the Congress leaders are selectively quoting only a part of the minister's statement and are misleading the people in the state and the assembly. "Legally, Eshwarappa has not committed any mistake and no action can be taken against him."
