Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lost his temper and raised his hand towards a senior police officer during a Congress rally in Belagavi on Monday, April 28 after a group of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) women activists disrupted his speech. The incident unfolded when BJP activists stormed the rally venue, shouting slogans against Siddaramaiah and the Congress party, and waving black flags. The protest caused confusion and forced a brief halt to the Chief Minister’s address.
Visibly angry, Siddaramaiah demanded to know who was responsible for allowing the BJP workers into the rally. “Who is the SP of Belagavi and why did he allow BJP workers into a Congress rally?” he asked from the stage.
Spotting Dharwad's Additional Superintendent of Police, Narayan Baramani, who was assigned to manage the main stage’s security, Siddaramaiah called him up and raised his hand as if to slap him. A startled Baramani stepped back as the CM lost his cool in front of party workers and the public.
The Chief Minister’s conduct drew criticism from several BJP leaders and social media users, who called it inappropriate for Siddaramaiah to display anger towards a senior police officer at a public event.
Meanwhile, police detained the protesting BJP women activists and escorted them out of the venue. Tensions continued outside, as Congress supporters surrounded the police vehicles carrying the detained protesters.