BJP ordered 50 lakh saffron flags from Surat: KPCC Prez Shivakumar

NT Correspondent

Rebutting the BJP charge that the Congress had instigated the uniform dress code row, KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar claimed that the BJP had placed an order with a Surat-based company for the supply of 50 lakh saffron shawls and accused the son of a minister of being responsible for the violence in two or three districts on Tuesday.

Shivakumar told reporters here on Wednesday that he too has ‘infor mants’ in the BJP who have shared details of those who placed orders for the supply of 50 lakh saffron shaws, the transporter and the distributor concerned. A few Kannada TV channels have captured visuals of some persons distributing the saffron shawls among stud e n t s i n some places. A minister’s son was found distributing the saffron flags in many colleges. “Do you think parents have bought and given the saffron shawls and saffron scarves to the students”, he asked.

Asked about the BJPs lamming him for misleading people on the hoisting of the saffron flag atop the flag post, Shivakumar said there are specific rules pertaining to the flag post and the Tricolor. No flag other than the national flag must be hoisted on the flag post. “I welcome Revenue Minister R. Ashok’s statement condemning the hoisting of the saffron flag on the post in front of a college in Shivamogga district”.

No one must sow the seed of hate in the minds of children as it would be dangerous for the country. The ruling BJP was behind the incidents of violence for the sake of political mileage, he added.

The PCC President said he is a Hindu by birth and would wear sandal paste, kumkum or ash on his forehead after performing pooja and stepping out of his house but he would also respect all other communities. He refused to comment on the Pakistan Foreign Minister’s tweet on the hijab row and said there are ‘big people’ in the party to comment on it.