Bengaluru: Pandemonium prevailed in both the Houses of the state legislature for the second consecutive day of the budget session as the Opposition Congress is demanding the resignation of the RDPR minister over his statement of hoisting the saffron flag at Red Port. 

The Congress has threatened boycott of both Houses in the Assembly unless minister K.S. Eshwarappa is charged with sedition, or faces action while giving reaction to media on hijab controversy, Mr. Eshwarappa said that the saffron flag may become India's national flag someday and that it could be raised from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

State unit boss DK Shivakumar ripped into the minister, calling him a "thug" and demanding he be sacked by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and that a case be registered against him.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said that the party will stage night-long dharna from today itself until Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai sacks tainted minister from the Cabinet, he demanded. 

“Mr. Eshwarappa has shown grave disrespect to the national flag. He has also shown disrespect to the Constitution by saying that the saffron flag may be the National flag one day and same will be hoisted from the Red Port”, the Opposition leader said. 

“National flag is the symbol of our freedom struggle. If anyone holds it automatically we show respect to the flag. But both RSS and BJP has asked Eshwarappa to give such an anti-national statement. Government must register sedition case against Mr. Eshwarappa and should sack him from the Cabinet”, Siddaramaiah urged.  

Even BJP central leaders have shown disrespect to the National flag on many occasions. BJP has hoisted the saffron flag in its office at Madya Pradesh. It is become a habit of the BJP to show disrespect to the National flag. Their intention to change the Constitution and replace Manusmruti in that place”, Mr. Siddaramaiah criticized. 

Being a minister, Eshwarappa gave a statement of the saffron flag may be the Indian national flag some other day. This message shows BJP ‘s hidden agenda of changing the National flag, Siddaramaiah stated. 

Congress will take this issue to the logical end, if BJP fails to sack Eshwarappa from the cabinet, Congress may boycott the session, says party sources. 

Amid dharna from the Congress, the Speaker has conducted question hour and other proceedings. 
Before the house commences, the Speaker has called meeting with flour leaders, but there is no consensus arrived in the meeting. Congress has firm its decision to continue dharna till the resignation of Mr. Eshwarappa. Congress members shouted slogans against Eshwarappa and BJP. Congress demanded the immediate arrest of Mr. Eshwarappa under sedition charges. 

Even Congress members accused the Speaker of partisan. On Wednesday Mr. Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri only reprimanded agitating Congress members. But he has not uttered a word against unruly BJP members or Mr. Eshwarappa for using unparliamentarily words against Congress member D.K. Shivakumar.