Mandya: Keragodu village tense after Hanuman flag removed; police use force to quell unrest
Mandya, Jan 28: Keragodu village here faced tense moments on Sunday after the authorities removed a 'Hanuma dwaja', a saffron flag bearing lord Hanuman's portrait, from a 108-ft tall flag post. The incident led to a political confrontation between the government and opposition in the state.
A large contingent of police personnel was deployed as a precautionary measure, when people from the village and its surroundings, along with members of the BJP, JD(S), and Bajrang Dal, gathered to protest against the removal of the flag.
In order to quell the unrest, police resorted to a mild lathi charge. Subsequently, the police and administration replaced the Hanuma dwaja with the national tricolour on the flagpole.
Official and police sources indicated that residents of Keragodu and 12 neighbouring villages, along with certain organisations, had funded the installation of the flag post near Rangamandira. Reportedly, BJP and JD(S) workers were actively involved in this initiative.
They raised a saffron flag featuring Hanuman's image, prompting opposition from some individuals who filed a complaint with the administration. Acting on the complaint, the taluk panchayat executive officer directed the gram panchayat officials to remove the flag.
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Several villagers, including a significant number of women, vehemently protested against the removal. Some activists and villagers stayed vigilant even after midnight on Saturday fearing that the flagpole would be removed.
Tension persisted on Sunday morning, leading to a heated exchange between the police and protesting villagers and activists, as the cops removed the saffron flag in the presence of senior district officials.
Some protesters directed their anger towards the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government and Mandya Congress MLA Ganiga Ravikumar, chanting slogans against them.
They refused to relent and affixed a flex board featuring a portrait of Lord Ram along with a smaller saffron flag at the base of the flagpole. Attempts to resist removal were made when the police intervened. Slogans of "Jai Sri Ram, Jai Hanuman" filled the air.
By late afternoon, police forcibly removed the protesters, again resorting to a mild lathi charge to restore order. Following this, the police and administration officials finally raised the Tricolour on the flagpole from which the Hanuma dwaja had been removed.
In response to the developments, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, speaking to reporters in the district headquarters town of Chitradurga, stated that instead of hoisting the national flag, a Bhagwa dwaja (saffron flag) had been raised. "It is not right. I have asked to hoist the national flag."
Mandya District in-charge Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy clarified that the flagpole's location fell under the panchayat's jurisdiction, and permission was obtained to hoist the national flag, which was done on Republic Day, "but it was replaced by another flag that evening".
However, he expressed readiness to support the installation of the Hanuman flag at a private place or near a temple.
"There may be politics behind it (the installation of the Hanuman flag replacing the National Flag). I don't know who is behind it ...This country works under democracy and the Constitution."
"Tomorrow they may say they want to hoist the flag (saffron flag) in front of the DC's office. Can it be allowed? If it is permitted at one place, it will extend to other places. This is the only reservation," he said.
"We are not here to hurt our youth. I have spoken to officials, police and youths. We are ready to install the Hanuman flag at a private place or near a temple. We will support them. We too are Rama Bhaktas," he added.
Leader of Opposition and BJP leader R Ashoka in Bengaluru condemned the government's "anti-Hindu stance" and police intervention, stating that the Hanuma dwaja was raised with the gram panchayat's approval, but the Congress government "all of a sudden" removed it.
Labelling the government's action an anti-Rama stand and an insult done to lord Hanuman, he asked. "What was the need for police action? Why didn't the administration speak to the villagers? There was a gram panchayat resolution to allow the flag."
Ashoka visited Keragodu village along with other BJP leaders.
State BJP President B Y Vijayendra accused the government of removing the flag using "police oppression" and creating a situation for law and order to deteriorate.
"If the state government has the audacity to remove the flag using police oppression and goondaism, it shows the height of Congress government's arrogance of power," he said.
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Nightclub fire: Goa court remands Luthra brothers in police custody for five days
Panaji (PTI): A court in North Goa on Wednesday remanded Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, in police custody for five days.
The brothers, brought to Goa from Delhi after being deported from Thailand in connection with the December 6 blaze that killed 25, were produced in the court after undergoing health check-ups twice at the District Hospital in North Goa.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Mapusa Puja Sardesai remanded the two brothers in police custody for five days.
Advocate Vishnu Joshi, representing Bhavana Joshi who lost four family members in the tragedy, said that the accused were asking for “special consideration” claiming poor health.
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“We said they should not be given any extra relaxation,” he said, adding that the court has taken cognisance of the fact that this is about the death of “25 people in the form of mass genocide”.
“But since they kept pressing for medical check-up, the court ordered reexamination of their health. It is clear in the medical examination that they don’t require any consideration. The accused sought special considerations in the lock-up like a good mattress, which the court refused,” said Joshi.
A team of the Goa Police, along with the Luthra brothers, arrived at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at 10.45 am.
The duo was initially taken to a Primary Health Centre at Siolim for medical examination. They were then taken to the District Hospital at Mapusa.
After their health assessment, the two were brought to the court.
The court directed that the accused be sent for fresh medical examination. Accordingly, the two were again taken to the District Hospital.
Later, they were produced before Judge Sardesai, who ordered the five-day police custody of the accused.
After the fire tragedy at Arpora village, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the Luthra brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The brothers were arrested in Delhi on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. A court there allowed the Goa Police their two-day transit remand.
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The duo had fled to Phuket in Thailand early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.
