Row after saffron flag hoisted atop Ashoka Emblem in Shivamogga

Shivamogga SP BM Lakshmi Prasad said, “The flag marches were carried out in several parts of the district on Thursday and Friday ahead of the Ganesh Visarjan (immersion) by the Hindu Mahasabha.”

A controversy erupted after a video of a saffron flag on top of the Ashoka Emblem in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district, about 350 km from Bengaluru, surfaced on social media, attracting sharp reactions from activists in the communally-sensitive region.The police, however, denied any such incident despite the video evidence.

The police, however, denied any such incident despite the video evidence. (Representational photo)

The flag was allegedly hoisted as a part of the Ganesha Chaturthi processions carried out in the district on Friday.

During the procession, pictures of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Nathuram Godse and Harsha Jingade (known as Harsha Hindu) among others were also paraded, people aware of the developments said.

“The procession is going on peacefully and no such incident was reported,” a local police officer said. However, the residents said that the saffron flag was hoisted on top of the Ashoka symbol (pillar) in the circle outside Doddapete police station. “The police removed the saffron flag and no case was filed,” people aware of the developments said.

The was led by the Hindu Mahasabha and the outfit had secured permission for the celebrations in the district, said persons in the know of development.

Shivamogga superintendent of police BM Lakshmi Prasad said, “The flag marches were carried out in several parts of the district on Thursday and Friday ahead of the Ganesh Visarjan (immersion) by the Hindu Mahasabha.”

“For the Ganesh Visarjan by Hindu Mahasabha in Shivamogga, two additional SP rank officials, 16 DySPs, 38 inspectors, 70 sub-inspectors, a total of 2000 civil personnel and another 1000 personnel have been deployed,” he said. “A rapid action force for riot control has also been deployed,” he said.

Members of the Hindu Mahasabha could not be reached for comment as the procession is still ongoing and will continue till the early hours on Saturday.