📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Muhammad Mahdi Karim
Politics
Karnataka CM Shivakumar orders probe after police halt three Dalit ministers at Mysuru Palace Dasara ceremony
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 23 Oct 2026, 07:02 AM
👁 13
Chief Minister Basavaraj Shivanna Shivakumar has directed a probe after police stopped three Dalit cabinet ministers from attending the Dasara puja at Mysuru Palace.
Police barred three Dalit cabinet ministers from entering the Mysuru Palace premises during the opening Dasara puja, prompting immediate controversy. The ministers were on their way to participate in the traditional ceremony that marks the start of Karnataka's flagship Dasara celebrations.
Reacting to the incident, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Shivanna Shivakumar announced that a formal inquiry will be launched to ascertain why the officials were stopped and whether any procedural or discriminatory lapses occurred. He emphasized that the administration will not tolerate any action that undermines the dignity of elected representatives.
The Dasara festivities, a cultural cornerstone of the state, draw nationwide attention each year. The episode has sparked debate over caste sensitivities within government circles, with opposition parties and civil‑society groups calling for swift accountability.
State officials said the probe will be overseen by a senior bureaucrat and that findings will be reported to the CM’s office within a stipulated timeframe. No further details on the police rationale have been released as of now.
Reacting to the incident, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Shivanna Shivakumar announced that a formal inquiry will be launched to ascertain why the officials were stopped and whether any procedural or discriminatory lapses occurred. He emphasized that the administration will not tolerate any action that undermines the dignity of elected representatives.
The Dasara festivities, a cultural cornerstone of the state, draw nationwide attention each year. The episode has sparked debate over caste sensitivities within government circles, with opposition parties and civil‑society groups calling for swift accountability.
State officials said the probe will be overseen by a senior bureaucrat and that findings will be reported to the CM’s office within a stipulated timeframe. No further details on the police rationale have been released as of now.