03-07-2025
Humiliated by CM Siddaramaiah, cop now has Karnataka ministers persuading him to take back resignation
As the issue started to escalate into a political controversy, Siddaramaiah and his colleagues made desperate calls to the senior police officer to withdraw his resignation.
In his resignation letter, Dharwad additional superintendent of police Narayana.V. Baramani had sought to be relieved from active duties, saying he was unable to continue in his post after being humiliated by the chief minister at the public meeting on 28 April.
Bengaluru: A police officer who was 'humiliated' by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at an event in April is 'now reporting for' routine duties after the senior Congress leader, his Cabinet colleagues and government officials persuaded him to withdraw his resignation.
'I have always been part of a disciplined department. I have conveyed my feelings to my superiors. My senior officers, the chief minister and the home minister have spoken about this matter. I am now reporting for my routine duties,' Baramani said in a video statement Thursday, circulated to the media. He added it was up to the government to decide on the next course of action.
People aware of the developments said the officer had tried to resign the same day but the state government persuaded him to reconsider his decision. Though Baramani held off then, sources said he wrote an official resignation letter on 12 June but the state government did not forward it. He wrote another letter just about a week ago.
This snowballed into another challenge for Siddaramaiah, already dealing with a strained relation between his government and the police force who have nursed a feeling of being scapegoated after the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede last month.
Five senior police officers, including Bengaluru city police commissioner B. Dayananda, were suspended as the government held them responsible for the deaths of 11 people in the stadium stampede that ensued during a surge of crowd at the stadium to celebrate the Royal Challengers Bengaluru;'s maiden IPL trophy win.
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has quashed the Karnataka government's order suspending IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, one of the suspended officers. The state government challenged the CAT order Wednesday.
Also Read: BJP calls Siddaramaiah 'anti-science' for linking cardiac-related deaths in Hassan to COVID vaccines
What happened 28 April
The incident took place in Belagavi where the Congress party organised the 'Samvidhan Bachao and Anti Price Rise Rally' to protest the rising prices of essential commodities under the Modi government.
But some people, purportedly affiliated to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), managed to sneak into the event and raise slogans and wave black flags against Siddaramaiah as he made a speech.
In a video of the incident, Siddaramaiah was seen summoning the senior police officer in a singular tone. 'Hey come here…who is the SP (superintendent of police). What are you doing,' Siddaramaiah is heard saying. The Additional SP of the district who rushed towards the CM, leaned forward.
Following that, Siddaramaiah gestured in a manner that suggested he intended to slap the official, who withdrew quickly to avoid the contact.
In his resignation letter, Baramani said he responded to the CM's call on stage since the senior most officials in the district were not present. 'I was humiliated for a mistake I did not make,' he wrote, adding the insult was played on loop by TV channels.
He said his family also broke down and there was a 'deathly silence' at their home when he returned from the event that day. He added his colleagues or anyone from the government did not protest the CM's actions or even attempted to console him, adding to his mental agony.
He added this was not just his grievance or those who perform their duties in a uniform 'but of all government employees.'
'Issue public apology'
Opposition parties in Karnataka have used the incident to corner Siddaramaiah, already facing a fair share of challenges including the speculation of being replaced later this year, mounting charges of corruption, his legislators calling out administrative lapses in their own government and a growing fund crunch that has crippled development activities among other problems.
'This incident stands as a stark reminder of what happens when sincere, honest, and committed officers are insulted in public instead of being appreciated for their service. We demand that Siddaramaiah set aside his ego, issue a public apology to Narayana Baramani, and urge the officer to reconsider his decision,' Amit Malviya, the BJP's IT cell chief, said in a post.
This was not the first instance of Siddaramaiah losing his cool. That the video of the incident was, and is being, played on loop on TV, has not helped the CM either.
The BJP's R. Ashoka, the leader of the opposition, said Siddaramaiah raising hand at a public servant was due to his 'arrogance of power, intoxication, haughtiness, the frustration of leading a failed government, or the anxiety of having to relinquish power soon?'.
'Due to your blunders, every day, in one way or another, your government and you are earning a bad name. At least now, abandon this reckless way of life. Let go of the obsession with power, resign, and preserve whatever little dignity remains. Rather than being remembered as a villain in the pages of history at the twilight of your career, stepping down from the chair with honor is better for you and for the state,' Ashoka said.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Two years of governance 'paralysis' in Karnataka as CM Siddaramaiah focuses on saving chair
