Karnataka Government orders inquiry after police block ministers at festival venue

UPDATE - follow-up to Karnataka Chief Minister orders probe into Cabinet colleagues being stopped by police at puja enclosure during Mysuru Dasara: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has ordered an official inquiry into police officers restricting several ministers from entering the Nandidhwaja Pooja venue at Mysuru palace on October 21. Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh has been directed to conduct the probe and submit a report on the officials responsible for the restrictions.

Ministers Affected

Ministers H.C. Balakrishna, P.M. Narendraswamy, K.S. Basavantappa, and Shivaraj Tangadagi were stopped by security personnel at the event. The Chief Minister intervened directly at the scene to allow their entry, calling the actions of the officials irresponsible.

Political Reactions

The incident drew sharp criticism from the opposition BJP, which alleged caste prejudice because several of the affected ministers belong to the Dalit community. Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara rejected the allegations, stating that the situation arose from routine security and protocol enforcement during a large crowd event. He noted that while there may have been lapses in handling the protocol, it is inappropriate to give the incident a caste dimension or create an unnecessary controversy.

Context

Security protocols at major public festivals often involve strict crowd control measures that can lead to friction between officials and dignitaries. Investigations into such protocol breakdowns are standard administrative procedures aimed at fixing accountability.