By Abhishek Kumar

The village of Keragodu in the Mandya district of Karnataka was at the centre of a controversy recently over the hoisting of a saffron-coloured Hanuman flag on a 108-foot flagpole constructed on government land.

Government officials removed the saffron flag featuring an image of the Hindu deity Hanuman and replaced it with the Tricolour, which sparked protests in the village. The BJP, JD(S), and some other organisations were quick to accuse the ruling Congress party of being anti-Hindu. In response, Congress accused the BJP and JD(S) of disrespecting the national flag and disturbing the peace in the state.

Major news outlets, including ANI, extensively covered this incident. Alt News found that ANI’s coverage of the controversy was inherently misleading.

What Happened in Mandya

The Gaurishankar Seva Trust, a local organisation operating in the Keragodu village of Mandya district, sought permission from the gram panchayat president and PDO to erect a flag post on January 29, 2023. The application stated, “We request permission for the construction of a flagpole. We have agreed to hoist the tricolour and the Karnataka flag on this flagpole.” The gram sabha considered the request and convened a general board meeting and a site inspection was carried out on January 5, after which permission was granted for the construction of the flag post at the said site.

On January 17, a letter of declaration was issued on behalf of the Gaurishankar Trust. It was signed by seven members who assured that they agreed to the authorities’ conditions regarding the construction of the said flagpole and would ensure there would be no unpleasant incidents. It also mentioned that other than the national flag and the Kannada flag, no other political or religious flag would be hoisted on this flagpole.

On January 19, the Gram Panchayat president and PDO granted permission to the Gaurishankar Trust to put up the post under the following five conditions:

Read Full Story https://www.altnews.in/flag-row-in-karanatkas-mandya-how-ani-misled-its-audience-by-using-state-bjp-chiefs-erroneous-statement/