The Karnataka government has ordered an inquiry after a police officer stopped four Cabinet ministers from entering the Nandidhwaja Pooja venue at Mysuru Palace during the state’s Mysuru Dasara celebrations, prompting Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to demand accountability.
The incident occurred on Wednesday as preparations were underway for the traditional rituals marking the beginning of the Vijayadashami procession, also known as Jumboo Savari. IPS officer C B Rishyanth restricted ministers H C Balakrishna, P M Narendraswamy and K S Basavantappa from entering the designated area. Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi was also prevented from entering the premises.
According to the report, the officer allowed Shivakumar to enter the venue but initially did not permit the ministers to do so. The ministers were subsequently allowed inside after the officer realised their identities. Video of the incident showed the exchange at the Mysuru Palace premises, where the state-organised Nada Habba festivities were taking place.
Shivakumar said in a statement issued on Thursday that he had intervened at the spot to resolve the impasse. He condemned what he described as a breach of protocol and said officials had acted “high-handedly” by restricting the ministers.
“It is evident that officials acted high-handedly by restricting the ministers themselves. I personally intervened immediately to facilitate the ministers’ entry. However, such irresponsibility from officials cannot be tolerated,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister formally directed Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to conduct an inquiry into the incident. The inquiry will examine the roles of the officers handling access and protocol arrangements at the venue and identify responsibility for the disruption.
Shivakumar also warned that “such official apathy” would not go unpunished. He said stern disciplinary action would be initiated against the officials found responsible after the inquiry and submission of a detailed report.
The incident involved three first-time ministers—Balakrishna, Narendraswamy and Basavantappa—who joined the Cabinet after Shivakumar became chief minister. The inquiry is now expected to establish how access arrangements were implemented at the high-profile ceremonial venue and why the ministers were not recognised or admitted at the outset.
