Karnataka minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan has stirred a political debate by defending the display of Palestinian flags during recent Milad-ul-Nabi processions in the state. The minister asserted that waving the Palestinian flag was not an issue, particularly in light of the Central government’s open support for a Palestinian state.

During a media interaction, Khan criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for objecting to the display of Palestinian flags during processions in places such as Chitradurga, Davanagere, and Kolar. He emphasised that while shouting slogans in favour of other countries could be deemed unacceptable, merely holding a flag did not constitute any wrongdoing.

“Central government itself has given support to Palestine, the Central government has declared that we are supporting Palestine. Just because someone held the flag, the BJP is making it a big issue. If someone says ‘jai’ (hailing) to another country it is wrong, he is a traitor and should be hanged, but there is nothing wrong in holding a (Palestinian) flag, according to me,” Khan said.

Khan’s remarks come after six minors in Chikkamagaluru were detained following the circulation of a video showing them holding Palestinian flags while riding two-wheelers last week. The video intensified the controversy on social media and fueled debates about the flag’s symbolism during religious events.

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Additionally, Khan addressed BJP claims linking the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) to recent violence in Nagamangala, Mandya district. He noted that while two individuals originally from Kerala were arrested in connection with the incident, they had been living in the region for over 50 years and should now be considered locals. “They are Kannadigas now,” Khan asserted, criticizing the BJP’s focus on their Kerala origins.

The flag controversy extended to Chitradurga, where a group of young men reportedly chanted pro-Palestine slogans during an Eid Milad procession, prompting police to confiscate two Palestinian flags. Similarly, unrest erupted in Davanagere when flags were raised on a mobile tower near a police station in Gandhinagar, leading to communal tensions. Police have since registered a case against eight individuals allegedly involved in the Davanagere incident.

Another controversy unfolded in Thirthahalli taluk, Shimoga district, when a pro-Palestine flex bearing the message “We Stand with Palestine” was placed in a market area near a religious site considered sacred by both Hindus and Muslims.

Former Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra condemned the display of the flex, demanding immediate action. In a letter to the Superintendent of Police in Shimoga, Jnanendra called for an investigation into the origins of the pro-Palestine flex, even suggesting the involvement of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He warned of widespread protests if the authorities failed to take action. “The act of placing a politically charged flex in such a sensitive area is unacceptable,” Jnanendra said.

Jnanendra expressed concerns that these incidents might be part of larger, coordinated efforts to incite communal discord.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed that all individuals involved in these incidents had been arrested. “Even though they argued that their actions were justified due to the Central government’s support for Palestine, we have still arrested them,” Parameshwara said. He added that an investigation is underway to determine who incited the young men, aged between 17 and 21, to wave Palestinian flags during the processions.