Karnataka CM Shivakumar orders probe after police barred Dalit ministers from Mysuru puja
Synopsis
Three Dalit ministers were reportedly blocked by a Superintendent of Police from entering the Nandi Dhwaja puja at Mysuru Palace during Dasara — until CM D.K. Shivakumar personally intervened. The incident has sparked outrage from Dalit organisations, gone viral on social media, and triggered a formal government enquiry into who authorised the move.
Key Takeaways
Shivakumar ordered Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to probe the incident on 22 October .
Rishyanth allegedly barred Ministers Shivaraj Tangadgi, P.M.
Narendra Swamy, and K.S.
Basavanthappa — all Dalit — from the Nandi Dhwaja puja at Mysuru Palace on 21 October .
CM Shivakumar personally intervened and directed the SP to allow the ministers to enter the puja venue.
Senior Congress MLA Tanveer Sait and several local MLAs and MLCs were also reportedly prevented from entering the venue.
Dalit organisations and progressive groups have condemned the incident; videos of the confrontation have gone viral on social media.
Action against responsible officials will be taken after the enquiry report is submitted.
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday, 22 October directed Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to conduct an enquiry and submit a report after police officers allegedly blocked three state ministers — all from the Dalit community — from entering the Nandi Dhwaja puja venue at the Mysuru Palace premises during the Dasara celebrations on 21 October.
What Happened at the Mysuru Palace
According to the Chief Minister's press statement, Superintendent of Police C.B. Rishyanth, who was deputed for security arrangements during the Mysuru Dasara celebrations, allegedly prevented Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadgi, Agriculture Minister P.M. Narendra Swamy, and Muzrai Minister K.S. Basavanthappa from entering the puja venue during the Jamboo Savari procession. Only Mysuru district in-charge Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah was initially allowed to enter alongside the Chief Minister.
When the ministers attempted to proceed, the SP allegedly stood in their way. Minister Tangadgi reportedly pushed past the officer to enter the venue, while Minister Narendra Swamy reportedly reprimanded the officer, telling him not to touch him and to maintain distance. CM Shivakumar noticed the commotion and personally instructed the SP to allow the ministers to participate in the ritual. They were subsequently permitted entry.
CM Shivakumar's Response
'I personally intervened immediately and facilitated the ministers' entry. However, the officers' high-handed behaviour cannot be tolerated. Therefore, I have directed the Chief Secretary to conduct an enquiry into who was responsible for the incident and submit a report,' Shivakumar said in the press statement. He added that action would be taken against officials found responsible once the enquiry report is received.
Scope of the Incident
The obstruction was reportedly not limited to the three ministers. Senior Congress MLA Tanveer Sait was also reportedly prevented from reaching the puja venue, and the Chief Minister later personally escorted Sait to the site. Other local MLAs and MLCs were left watching the ritual from a distance, reportedly denied entry as well.
This comes amid a wider protocol dispute: established convention allows ministers and MLAs accompanying the Chief Minister to participate in such rituals. The incident has prompted sharp questions over who, if anyone, instructed the SP to restrict entry — and why a unilateral decision was taken without direction from the Chief Minister.
Political and Social Fallout
The episode has ignited widespread public debate, with Dalit organisations and progressive groups condemning what they see as a deliberate exclusion of Dalit ministers from a religious ceremony. Videos showing the confrontation between the ministers and the SP have reportedly gone viral on social media. Critics argue the incident raises questions about institutional respect for elected representatives and highlights the broader sensitivity around caste and public ritual in Karnataka's political landscape.
What Comes Next
Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh is expected to submit an enquiry report to the Chief Minister, after which disciplinary action against responsible officials is anticipated. The probe is being watched closely by Dalit organisations and opposition leaders, who are likely to press for accountability beyond a departmental inquiry.
Point of View
Political authority, and institutional hierarchy in Karnataka. That a serving SP would block elected Dalit ministers from a state-sponsored religious ceremony without any direction from the Chief Minister raises uncomfortable questions about deep-seated biases in law enforcement. The enquiry's credibility will hinge on whether it identifies who, if anyone, gave the SP implicit or explicit instruction — or whether the action was taken on personal initiative. A departmental slap on the wrist will not satisfy Dalit organisations watching closely; only transparent accountability will.
NationPress
22 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Mysuru Palace Nandi Dhwaja puja on 21 October?
Superintendent of Police C.B. Rishyanth allegedly prevented three Dalit ministers — Shivaraj Tangadgi, P.M. Narendra Swamy, and K.S. Basavanthappa — from entering the Nandi Dhwaja puja venue at Mysuru Palace during the Dasara Jamboo Savari procession. CM D.K. Shivakumar personally intervened and directed the SP to allow the ministers entry.
What action has Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar taken?
CM Shivakumar directed Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to conduct an enquiry and submit a report identifying who was responsible for the incident. He stated that action would be taken against the officials found guilty once the report is received.
Why is the incident particularly sensitive?
The three ministers who were blocked belong to the Dalit community, making the incident politically and socially charged. Dalit organisations and progressive groups have condemned the episode, and videos of the confrontation have gone viral, prompting wider public outrage over the apparent exclusion of Dalit elected representatives from a public religious ceremony.
Who else was affected by the entry restrictions at the puja venue?
Senior Congress MLA Tanveer Sait was also reportedly prevented from entering, and the CM later personally accompanied him to the site. Several local MLAs and MLCs were left watching the ritual from a distance after being denied entry.
What is the established protocol for such events?
According to protocol, ministers and MLAs accompanying the Chief Minister are permitted to participate in rituals at official state events such as the Mysuru Dasara. The SP's alleged decision to restrict entry appears to have departed from this convention without any direction from the Chief Minister.
