New Delhi: Former Karnataka Minister and BJP leader KS Eshwarappa on Sunday said the saffron flag has been respected for thousands of years and the RSS flag will undoubtedly become the national flag one day.
Eshwarappa faced the media on Sunday for the first time since he was sacked by the Karnataka government from a ministerial post. Speaking to the media, he explained the significance of RSS. "Respect for saffron didn't begin yesterday or today, it has been respected for thousands of yrs. The Saffron flag is a sign of sacrifice... RSS flag will become a national flag some day, there is no doubt," news agency ANI said, quoting Eshwarappa.
"To bring out the sense of sacrifice, RSS does prayers by keeping the saffron flag in the front. The tricolour is the national flag according to the Constitution and we give it whatever respect it deserves," he told the media.
Eshwarappa has actually reiterated his statements about the same issue which he sparked controversy earlier this year in February. "We will hoist the saffron flag everywhere. Today or tomorrow, India will become a Hindu nation. Even at Red Fort," Eshwarppa had said earlier in February.
However, the then Karnataka's Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, Eshwarappa faced flak from the opposition for his comments on the national flag.
But later, Eshwarappa was forced to step down from his position after a contractor in Belagavi killed himself alleging the minister for harassing him for a 40 per cent commission to release payments for the works done in February, last year.