K'taka CM Fumes as Cong MLAs Stage 'Sleepover Dharna' in Assembly over Minister's 'Saffron Flag' Comment

Karnataka Congress MLAs staged an overnight protest in the state Assembly demanding Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa’s resignation over his saffron flag remark. Led by Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar, the Congress MLAs had given deadline for the ruling BJP government to sack Eshwarappa till Thursday morning.

Eshwarappa had courted controversy earlier by stating that one day saffron flag will be hoisted on the Red Fort.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai slammed the Congress and said that it is the grand old party “which is indulging in seditious activities” and “creating issues for its own political gains”.

“Situation like this (overnight dharna) hasn’t happened in the history of Vidhan Sabha. We have had protests related to people’s issues earlier. There is no people’s issue in Congress protests. They are doing this for political gain. They are infringing on rights of all MLAs. There is a confusion in schools and colleges. We should give clarity from here. But they (Congress) are ruining future of these children (protesting against order to prohibit display of hijab in some public institutions). They are the once doing seditious activities,” he said.

On Thursday, CM Bommai, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and the Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri personally went and met Congress leaders in the assembly and requested to end the “day and night” agitation. However, the Congress leaders refused to soften their stand.

“The Opposition has misunderstood minister Eshwarappa’s statement and is trying to create a wrong perception among the people. It is showing an anti-people attitude over the issue,” Bommai said.

“There is nothing wrong in Eshwarappa’s statement. It does not have any aspects against the law. The opposition has made it a big issue as they do not have any other issue. They are staging day and night dharna without any cause. it is not the way a responsible Opposition functions.

“It has completely forgotten its responsibility. They believe it would bring them political gains. But it would not bring them any dividends,” Bommai added.

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