Hijab row: 50 lakh saffron stoles bought for protests, alleges Shivakumar

KPCC president DK Shivakumar alleged that 50 lakh saffron stoles were ordered from Surat for the anti-hijab protests in the state, here Wednesday. Speaking to reporters, he blamed BJP for the widespread student protests in the state and warned against "sowing seeds of hatred" in the minds of children.

Reacting to Home Minister Araga Jnanendra's remarks that it was a Congress conspiracy, Shivakumar denied the allegations. " Who started the conspiracy, where did it start? Who is behind the conspiracy in Mandya, Shivamogga and other regions of the state?" he said, questioning whether students brought saffron petas and stoles from their homes.

How were these stoles supplied overnight to students? he asked, claiming that 50 lakh stoles were ordered from Surat. "We know who has placed the order, (and) who transported them. We have connections too," he said.

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There are videos of people hiding the petas after they were returned, he said.

"The pole used to hoist the national flag cannot be used to hoist other flags," he said, defending his comments made on Tuesday, where he alleged that a saffron flag was hoisted by removing the national flag at a Shivamogga college.

All flags cannot be hoisted in such poles, he said, adding that there was a legislation governing it.

"I spoke about it when various news channels reported it. We respond to media reports," he said, responding to a question on clarifications issued by the government that tricolour was not removed by the protestors.

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