Hanuman Flag Row: ‘Will history repeat itself?’ Priyank Kharge Reminds BR Ambedkar’s Words

Congress leader and Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge amid the hanuman flag hoisting controversy reminded the warning given by the father of the Indian constitution Dr B R Ambedkar regarding the prioritization of creed over the nation.

Condemning the action of BJP Karnataka, the Congress leader wrote on X, “It is extremely obvious that for the BJP Karnataka and their masters RSS, it is always self, organization, party and religion above the Nation”.

It is extremely obvious that for the @BJP4Karnataka & their masters RSS, it is always self, organization, party & religion above the Nation.

In his final address to the Constituent Assembly, Babasaheb Ambedkar spoke about prioritizing creed over the nation and issued us a… pic.twitter.com/DhlekjhFq5

— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) January 30, 2024

Along with the post, Priyank also shared a video of a BJP leader during the protest giving bizarre explanation to their action, while speaking to ANI. He said, “Today the Congress wants to remove the Hanuman flag and install the Taliban flag… We will install the Hanuman flag today. The times of Taliban flags have passed…”.

Tension has arisen in the Mandya district of Karnataka following the removal of the ‘Hanuman flag’ in the area. The village panchayat granted the permission to hoist the national flag and instead, a group of people raised a saffron flag featuring Hanuman on a 108-foot-tall flagpole.

Priyank Kharge highlighted Ambedkar’s words during his final address to the Constitution assembly.

Dr. Ambedkar in his speech, shared his anxiety over ‘cast and creed’ which may appear in the form of political parties in the future, he said, “Will history repeat itself? It is this thought which fills me with anxiety. This anxiety is deepened by the realization of the fact that in addition to our old enemies in the form of castes and creeds, we are going to have many political parties with diverse and opposing political creeds”.

“Will Indians place the country above their creed or will they place creed above the country? I do not know. But this much is certain that if the parties place creed above country, our independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and probably be lost forever,” he further continued.

He then warns that if the parties begin to put the creed above the country, our independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and will be lost forever. Ambedkar concluded by asking the citizens of India to safeguard the constitution. “This eventuality we must all resolutely guard against. We must be determined to defend our independence with the last drop of our blood,” he said.