Bengaluru: During the Mysuru Dasara festival, a senior police officer stopped three ministers from the Scheduled Castes who had gone with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for the puja, sparking controversy. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has ordered an inquiry into the incident and directed that a report be submitted.
On Wednesday, the final day of the world-famous Mysuru Dasara festival, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar performed special prayers to the Nandi flag at the palace premises during the auspicious Makara Lagna. Kannada Minister for Art and Culture Shivraj Tangadagi accompanied the Chief Minister there. He was followed by Urban Development Minister H.C. Balakrishna, Agriculture Minister Narendra Swamy, and Endowments Minister Basavanthappa.
At that time, Mysuru District Superintendent of Police Rishyanth, who was on security duty, tried to stop Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, who had accompanied Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, from going to the place where the puja was being held. When the minister objected, he allowed him inside.
Following Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, the Superintendent of Police also stopped the three ministers who came behind him—H.C. Balakrishna, Narendra Swamy, and Basavanthappa. This caused a commotion there.
Noticing this, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar spoke to the police officer and instructed him to allow all three ministers inside. Following this, the three ministers went to the place where the puja was being held.
Meanwhile, the video of the ministers being stopped was released in the media and caused a major controversy.
BJP senior leader Salavathi Narayanasamy said, “The three ministers, Shivraj Tangadagi, Narendra Swamy, and Basavantarappa, were not allowed into the place where the puja was being held because they belong to the Scheduled Caste community. The police officer acted that way in accordance with the government’s guidelines.
In this matter, a case should be registered under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act against the official who practiced untouchability. Congress leaders who do politics using Babasaheb Ambedkar’s photograph should be ashamed of this,” he criticized.
Regarding this, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said, “As soon as I learned that the ministers had been stopped, I personally intervened and resolved the situation. Police officers acted on their own to the extent of stopping the ministers. Such an act can never be accepted.
I have instructed Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to investigate this and submit a report. Based on the video footage, she will identify which officials acted in that manner and submit a report,'' he said.
