As widespread protests continue in parts of Karnataka with the arrest of senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar, former CM Siddaramaiah managed to stir controversy as he slapped one of his supporters in public. The incident was caught on video and was widely circulated by the media on Wednesday.
Videos of the incident show Siddaramaiah walking away after addressing reporters and calling after an unidentified man, who seems to be using his phone. Once the man responds, Siddaramaiah slaps him and both of them are seen walking away. The incident occurred outside Mysuru Airport. According to sources, the man is a close follower of Siddaramaiah.
#WATCH: Congress leader and Karnataka's former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slaps his aide outside Mysuru Airport. pic.twitter.com/hhC0t5vm8Q
— ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2019
This incident on Wednesday comes after he recently courted controversy for his misogynistic comments against his political rivals.
On August 31, replying to a reporter who asked about JD(S)’s allegation of Congress being responsible for the collapse of the coalition government, he said, "A prostitute who can't dance says the floor isn't right to dance."
When BJP politicians criticised his response, he later claimed he was using a Kannada proverb, and he was referring to the BJP and not JD(S).
In another incident earlier this year, Siddaramaiah was caught on camera snatching a mic from a woman’s hand, hitting her hand with it and pushing her down after she tried to raise her complaint at an event held in Mysuru.
In the video, Jamalar, the woman, a former Congress Taluk Panchayat officer, said she had voiced her displeasure since she had not been informed of Siddaramaiah's visit in advance.
It was when she was making this point, Siddaramaiah was seen shouting at her and snatching away the mic and also pulling down a part of her dupatta.