Bengaluru: Opposing the new state flag approved by the Karnataka Cabinet, Kannada Chaluvali Paksha Founder President Vatal Nagaraj demanded that the state government authorize the vermillion and yellow flag with the Karnataka chart or a picture of Goddess Bhuvaneshwari as the state flag.
Addressing a press conference he said, “We do not approve of the new state flag announced by the government. Those who don’t know the history of the flag have designed it. We will meet the Chief Minister and try to convince him.”
Nagaraj questioned the need for a new state flag – a tricolour of yellow, white and red sporting the ‘ganda bherunda’ in the middle that was approved by the state cabinet on Thursday, while for nearly 25 years now the state government had been hoisting the vermillion and yellow flag during the Rajyotsava celebrations.
The vermillion and yellow flag is the official party flag of Kannada Paksha, and hence the design cannot be adopted due to legal issues.
However, Nagraj opined that the government could have added the outline of Karnataka or picture of Goddess Bhuvaneshwari to the existing flag. “We are not against designing a flag, but I don’t know why they are in hurry,” he said.
“I and Ma. Rama Murthy chose the yellow color in the year 1962-63. In 1966, Rama Murthy himself added red color to the flag and we all agreed for that. I won the election from Chikkapet under that flag. Dr. Rajkumar had fought for the right of Kannadigas under the same flag. Kannadigas have an emotional bonding with that two-colored flag. But those who were in the designing committee don’t know all these,” he added.
