States can have own flag, with certain conditions: Shashi Tharoor

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Sunday that he was not opposed to states having their own flags, as long as they observed a system of checks and balances.
"There should be clear rules that flag of state cannot be substitute of national flag and it should be smaller and fly lower," Tharoor said at a press conference in Bengaluru.
The Congress was recently embroiled in a controversy when Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah raised the demand for a separate flag for the state in the face of mounting pressure from pro-Kannada activists.While the BJP has objected to this demand, Siddaramaiah rebutted by enquiring if there is any provision in the Constitution that prohibits the state from having its own flag.
The chief minister has also constituted a committee to submit a report to the state government on the possibility of designing a separate flag for the state.
Amid this heated debate, Tharoor has endorsed separate flag for states, even though the Congress high command has expressed reservations on the issue of separate flag.
"So as long as there are set rules for it I don't see any issue in states having their flags," Tharoor added.

When asked about Subramanian Swamy's plea for a court-monitored CBI-led SIT probe into the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar, Tharoor slammed the BJP leader for attempting to seek "public attention".
"No one in this country can be more anxious than me to see the conclusion of this issue. I will cooperate with authorities and not with obstreperous and publicity seeking attempts by others," the Congress MP said.

Swamy has sought a time-bound probe in the case, alleging that there has been constant attempt to block the investigation into Pushkar's death. Tharoor's step son Shiv Menon, who is Pushkar's son from a previous marriage, has moved the Delhi High Court opposing Swamy's plea for an SIT probe.
Sunanda Pushkar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the suite of a five-star hotel in south Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014.