Representational Image  |  Photo Credit: ANI
Bengaluru: As the Karnataka hijab row rages on, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister K S Eshwarappa on Wednesday said that the saffron flag could become the Indian National flag some day in the future. The remarks came amid allegations that students in Karnataka had replaced the tricolour and hoisted a saffron flag at the Government First Grade College in Shivamogga, during an anti-hijab protest on Tuesday.
While the BJP leader emphasised the need to respect the national flag, he also appeared to be open to the possibility of the saffron flag being hoisted on the Red Fort in the national capital “some day” in the future. “Hundreds of years ago the chariots of Sri Ramachandra and Maruthi had saffron flags on them. Was the tricolour flag there in our country then? Now it (tricolour) is fixed as our national flag, what respect it has to be given, should be given by every person who takes food in this country, there is no question about it,” Eshwarappa said.
“…we are the people who hoist the saffron flag, not today some time in the future Hindu dharma will come to this country at that time we will hoist it on the Red fort, for now tricolour is our national flag, there is now doubt about it and we all respect it,” the former state BJP chief added.