Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said the state government was committed to granting official state flag status to the yellow and red Kannada flag and would bring in a legal framework to ensure it is hoisted alongside the national flag on government buildings.
“Just now, you have witnessed the national flag being hoisted. Beside that national flag, I have just hoisted the Kannada flag. “I will bring this up for discussion, take a decision in the Cabinet and introduce a legal framework. My government is committed to taking an official decision to ensure that this Kannada flag is hoisted alongside the national flag on every building where the national flag is hoisted,” he added. Shivakumar asserted that the government’s aspiration was to have an official state flag representing the self-respect of Kannadigas, just as the state has its own anthem. The yellow and red flag had already become a symbol of the sentiments of Kannadigas.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Karnataka Rajyotsava, the state formation day, he said the government would discuss the matter during the forthcoming Belagavi legislature session. The government has already held discussions on granting official state flag status to this Kannada flag,” Shivakumar said. “Earlier, we had also taken a decision in the Cabinet and submitted a request to the Union government, but we did not receive recognition for it,” he said. Stating that his government was committed to taking the matter forward, the CM said that he will bring up the matter for discussion during the Belagavi legislature session. “Just as there is a state anthem dedicated to mother Karnataka, the daughter of Mother India, our aspiration is to have an official state flag that represents the self-respect of Kannadigas,” he said.
