Row as Karnataka sets up panel to design state flag

Bengaluru/ New Delhi: Even as the Centre on Tuesday flagged down the controversial move of the Karnataka government to have a state flag of its own, the move triggered a nationwide debate on the propriety of a state having its own flag.

Currently, only Jammu and Kashmir can have a flag as per the special status it enjoys under Article 370 of the Constitution.

Unmindful of the criticism, a brave-faced chief minister Siddaramaiah defended the proposal, while deriding the attacks by rival parties, including the BJP. “Is there was any provision in the Constitution which prohibits the state from having its own flag? Did the BJP leaders come across the provision? Then why they are raising it?” he wondered.

Asked whether the move to have a state flag was intended to keep the Kannadiga population in good stead in an election year, he said, “Elections are in April-May not now, not tomorrow, not next month.”

Meanwhile, the Centre made it clear on Tuesday that there is no provision in the Constitution for a separate flag for any state and the tricolour is the only flag for India.

A home ministry spokesperson, strongly disapproving of the proposal, said: “We are one nation, we have one flag. Legally, there is no provision for providing a separate flag for any state.”

A nine-member committee has been formed by the Congress government, which will submit a report on designing the separate flag and providing legal standing for it.