BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has directed officials to probe the incident in which police allegedly prevented ministers HC Balakrishna, Narendra Swamy and Basavanthappa from entering the Nandi Dhwaja Puja venue on the premises of Mysuru Palace on Wednesday. The CM has directed Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to conduct the inquiry and submit a report. According to a note from the CMO, officials stopped the ministers, which showed their arrogance. “This conduct of officials is not acceptable,” Shivakumar said.
The CM said he had intervened personally to facilitate the ministers’ entry. He further said action will be taken against those found responsible after the inquiry report is submitted. The CM added that officials’ high-handedness cannot be tolerated.
It can be noted that the incident took place in front of the Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple on the premises of Mysuru Palace on Wednesday. It is customary for all ministers and legislators accompanying the CM to offer prayers to the Nandi Dhwaja. However, on Wednesday, Mysuru SP Rishyanth reportedly allowed only Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah, the minister in charge of Mysuru district who had accompanied the CM, to offer prayers, while preventing the other ministers from entering the area. The ministers accompanying Shivakumar were stopped, leading to a heated argument between them and the SP.
Meanwhile, the Opposition slammed the State Government over the issue. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said that the Congress needed Dalits only for their vote. “If this is the case of ministers, what about normal people?’’ Ashoka questioned.
Meanwhile, JDS leaders and former legislators alleged that Dalit ministers Narendra Swamy, Shivaraj Tangadagi and Basavanthappa were deliberately humiliated during the Mysuru Dasara and Jamboo Savari celebrations.
They said that while LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge were travelling across the country holding copies of the Constitution, claiming to uphold secularism and social equality, their own government was in power in Karnataka where Dalit ministers are insulted.
Reacting to the allegations, minister Balakrishna told reporters in Bengaluru that it is not correct to say Dalit ministers were stopped. “Even I was stopped. Stopping ministers is not correct. As per protocol, the CM, district in-charge minister, and MLA Tanveer Sait were allowed. They have to follow the protocol. But their behaviour is not acceptable... they could have said it in a different way. They unnecessarily created confusion. They let us in only after the CM’s intervention,” the minister said, adding that the spot where Nandi Dhwaja is situated is a sensitive place and crowd management is difficult.
MLA: Up to govt to order probe into S’mogga incident
Shivamogga MLA SN Channabasappa said that responsibility for the elephant-related incident during the city’s Vijayadashami procession rested with all stakeholders, including the authorities. He said it was up to the State Government to order an inquiry.
Jamboo Savari in Shivamogga was cancelled on Wednesday after elephant Somanna, carrying the howdah with the Chamundeshwari idol, was frightened by the crowd and ran helter-skelter, just a few minutes after the procession was flagged off.
BJP can’t digest success: CM
“State BJP leaders cannot digest the successful organisation of Mysuru Dasara by my government. They need an issue to raise,” the CM said.
The CM said everyone was allowed inside the temple and questioned why the BJP leaders did not raise the matter at that time. He acknowledged that a newly appointed officer was there when the procession moved towards Nandi Dhwaja. The ministers might not be aware of the arrangements made, he said.
“I had personally instructed the officials to let them in,” he said. Shivakumar maintained that his government followed the protocol with regard to the royal family and pointed out that a photograph of the BJP MP was prominently displayed.
“We gave respect and honour to the royal family. Why are they not talking about that? We want to introduce something new. We are the ones who bring change. They can say whatever they want. We respect our ministers,” the CM said.
Ashoka slams govt, seeks power supply for farmers
LoP in Assembly and senior BJP leader R Ashoka on Thursday criticised the state Congress government for extending Dasara illumination by 15 days amid drought-like conditions.
He urged CM DK Shivakumar to provide at least one hour of daily three-phase power to agricultural pump sets. Ashoka alleged that the State Government prioritised lavish celebrations over farmers’ needs. Ashoka said that the farmers are in distress due to severe drought in the sate. But the CM is busy welcoming CMs of neighbouring states and foreign delegates and celebrated Dasara in a grand scale.
“Now that festival is over, at least now can he check farmers’ plea,” Ashoka wrote on X. Ashoka said Shivakumar ordered to extend Dasara lighting for another 15 days. “But farmers’ agricultural land has dried up. If power supply given for one hour a day, it will help.
Let there be light in their lives too,’’ he appealed. He said that the State Government is spending crores of rupees in the name of lights and decoration. “Why are you not getting heart to supply power to farmers, so that they can use their pump set for farming?” he added. “Stop stressing on fancy, focus on administration’’ Ashoka said, calling the Congress anti-farmer.