Bengaluru, Jan 31 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is taking shelter behind the Tricolour to hide his hatred against the Hanuman flag, Leader of the Opposition, R Ashoka said on Wednesday.

Ashoka alleged that after getting the Hanuman flag removed in Keragodu Village in Mandya district, the Karnataka Government was facing the ire of the Hindus.

'Following the development, the grand old party is showering statements in respect and honour of the national flag. On the occasion of the Republic Day in 2011, the Congress Government did not allow hoisting of the Tricolour at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir and arrested BJP leaders who had taken out the Ekta Yatra,' Ashoka stated.

The same Congress party prevented the hoisting of the national flag at the Idgah Maidan in Hubballi, whereas, the previous BJP Government had permitted the hoisting of the national flag at Chamarajpet in Bengaluru after 75 years, he added.

'I was serving as the Minister for Revenue then,' Ashoka said.

'Mr CM Siddaramaiah you stated earlier that you were scared of saffron and vermillion. To hide your hatred towards the Hanuman flag, there is no need for you to hide behind the national flag. The saffron colour is part of our national flag and saffron robes are worn by Hindu sants, sadhus, pontiffs and religious heads. Saffron is also a sacred colour for the Hindus.

'Saffron which stands for sacrifice is permanent, not your power. Just the way the Hanuman flag was removed, Hindus will push you out of power soon,' Ashoka stated.

He added that at a time when there were no funds available for drought relief and development, the state government had given Cabinet rank to 73 MLAs, leading to unnecessary expenditure.

He added that the Cabinet rank was given to 34 ministers, chairmen of boards and corporations, advisors and New Delhi representatives. If 10 members of the Guarantee Implementation Committee are given Cabinet rank, more than 80 people will have it, he said.

'CM Siddaramaiah who is not able to quell the dissidence of MLAs, is providing Cabinet ranks to everyone to save his chair. These appointments are against the Constitution and they should be terminated immediately. CM Siddaramaiah has violated the rule that only 15 per cent of the total number of legislators should be given Cabinet rank status,' Ashoka claimed.

/IANS