BJP Activist Files Complaint Against Siddaramaiah Over Dupatta Incident with Karnataka Women’s Commission
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Mandya (Karnataka), Dec 23 (NationPress) A formal complaint has been filed against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with the Karnataka State Women’s Commission concerning a controversial incident involving the dislodging of a woman's dupatta while he was taking a microphone from her.
The incident occurred back in 2019 in the Varuna Constituency of Mysuru district during an event.
BJP Mandya Spokesperson C.T. Manjunath has submitted this complaint and has urged the Women’s Commission to initiate a suo moto case related to the incident.
The complaint was sent through online channels. In his submission, Manjunath requested the President of the State Women’s Commission, Nagalakshmi Choudhary, to pursue a complaint against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, similar to how the Commission acted on a suo moto case against BJP MLC C.T. Ravi regarding his alleged derogatory remarks towards Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar.
“In this situation, CM Siddaramaiah had pulled a woman's dupatta and disgraced her. We are uncertain if that woman has lodged a complaint. There is a possibility that she may have been intimidated not to file one,” stated Manjunath.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah became embroiled in controversy in January 2019 when he got into a heated exchange with a woman and snatched the microphone from her, inadvertently dislodging her dupatta during an event in Varuna, Mysuru.
The occurrence during a public interaction organized by Siddaramaiah, his son, then MLA Yathindra, who represented the Varuna Assembly constituency, and others, was recorded on video and went viral.
The meeting, aimed at bolstering the party’s presence in the constituency, was previously convened by Siddaramaiah ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
While the BJP condemned the event, former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Rekha Sharma, mentioned that the panel would reach out to the Karnataka Police for appropriate action regarding the matter.
The footage depicted a verbal confrontation between Siddaramaiah and Jamalar, a former district panchayat member, who expressed her discontent that his son Yathindra had only appeared seven months after being elected.
Siddaramaiah insisted that his son frequently visits the constituency, which she vehemently disputed.
As the woman tapped the table, it further incensed Siddaramaiah, who yelled at her and insisted she take a seat.
When she struck the table again, Siddaramaiah lost his composure and snatched the microphone, causing her dupatta to become entangled.
Siddaramaiah later took to Twitter (now X) to downplay the incident, describing it as an accident and stating that the woman was like a sister to him.
“When I was attempting to halt a lengthy speech from a party worker, that incident occurred; it was an accident... there was no ill intent. I have known her for 15 years; she is just like my sister,” he tweeted.
