Tricolour gets consent of pro-Kannada outfits

Bengaluru: Pro-Kannada organisations which had expressed dissent to any other flag but the popular yellow-and-red flag as the state’s official symbol met chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday and gave their consent to the proposed tricolour.
The CM held a long meeting with representatives from multiple pro-Kannada organisations and literateurs, including Chandrashekar Kambara, K Marulasiddappa and Chandrashekar Patil (Champa). After the meeting, Champa told TOI there were some concerns earlier but they have been resolved now, and the support for the new flag is unanimous. Kambara wished not to make any comment, other than wishing Siddaramaiah luck.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike’s Narayana Gowda, who was among the people who had batted for the yellow-and-red flag, said: “The CM told us that we can continue using the Kannada flag as we are doing now, and the new tricolour will be the official one. Since there is no restriction on using the yellow and red flag, we are fine with the decision.”

Vatal Nagaraj, one of the key opponents of the new design, was not present in the meeting owing to prior appointments, but two of his close associates, Sa Ra Govindu and Praveen Shetty, were present and gave their consent.

The nine-member committee that was formed to look into the legal aspects of having such a flag was forced to consider a design other than the popular yellow and red flag after a registered political party, Kannada Paksha, claimed rights over the flag and threatened to sue to the government if it made it official.

Following this, the panel recommended a tricolour, which was met with opposition by other pro-Kannada organisations. The cabinet, in fact postponed the decision on the flag on March 2, after Siddaramaiah said he wanted consensus on the design before going ahead. On Thursday, the CM said: “...I am happy that all Kannada organisations have given their consent to the flag, which will be a sign of Kannadiga pride.”