With Elections Round The Corner, Siddaramaiah Unveils Karnataka State Flag

Keeping an eye on the upcoming state assembly elections, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has taken another step in his bid to capitalise on the Kannada pride factor by unveiling the state’s official flag, reports PTI.

The Nada Dwaja or state flag has received cabinet approval from the state and has been sent to the Centre for approval. If approved, Karnataka will be the second state in India after Jammu and Kashmir to have its own flag.

In the run-up to the elections, Siddaramaiah has heavily capitalised on Kannada pride sentiments as he seeks re-election against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state that had earlier opposed such a move, saying that it goes against national sentiments and dubbed it a diversionary tactic by the Congress.

Siddaramaiah had earlier supported pro-Kannada organisations that blacked out Hindi signage along the Namma Metro in Bengaluru.

Karnataka has had an unofficial state flag from the 1960s that was designed by Ma Ramamurthy, a pro-Kannada writer and activist who founded the Kannada Paksha. The yellow and red flag has been associated with every pro-Kannada rally and movement across the state. The state also has a nada geethe or state anthem that was composed by Kuppalli Venkatappa Puttappa – known fondly as Kuvempu – that is accorded the same status as the national anthem.

The new flag has a yellow stripe on top and a red stripe at the bottom with the state’s emblem – comprising of the mythological gandaberunda – in the white portion in the centre.