Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar has rejected the claims that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pushed and insulted him at the ‘March for Democracy’ event in New Delhi. Instead, Shivakumar supported Rahul Gandhi and hailed him for his leadership, character and humanitarian qualities. He said Rahul Gandhi was the leader who made him Chief Minister, and he was firmly with the Congress leadership in the midst of political unrest in Delhi.
It came to light in the wake of the BJP claiming that Rahul Gandhi insulted Shivakumar in the national capital on ‘March for Democracy’ at the meeting to discuss democracy and democracy's functioning. According to the BJP’s claims, an incident involving Rahul Gandhi and Shivakumar had taken place during the gathering, prompting questions about the treatment of the Karnataka leader. Shivakumar did not accept the accusation and said he did not consider it an insult. His response directly challenged the opposition to claim that the incident was evidence of tension in the Congress leadership.
In response to the allegations, Shivakumar highlighted his relationship with Rahul Gandhi and said that the Congress leader had played an important role in his elevation to the position of Chief Minister. His words were intended to counter the narrative of the BJP and also to provide an assurance of his faith in the party’s national leadership.
With the statement, Shivakumar put forward his support for Rahul Gandhi in public and made it clear that he had not let the allegations affect his relationship with the Congress leader. It also stressed that leadership and party unity in the Congress organisation are crucial in instances of opposition parties raising questions about internal relationships.
Shivakumar also praised Rahul Gandhi for being humanitarian and strong and described him as someone who commands his respect. Instead of accepting the BJP’s version of the incident, Karnataka Chief Minister defended Gandhi and rejected the notion that he had been humiliated. His response moved the discussion from the opposition’s accusation to his own view of Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. It could also be seen as a bid to keep the controversy from being used to suggest divisions between senior Congress leaders at a time when political parties are in a public relations battle.
@XpressBengaluru @NewIndianXpress ದೆಹಲಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಪ್ರೀಂ ಕೋರ್ಟ್ಗೆ (SC) ನಡೆದ ಪಾದಯಾತ್ರೆಯ ವೇಳೆ ರಾಹುಲ್ ಗಾಂಧಿ ಅವರು ತಮ್ಮನ್ನು ‘ಅವಮಾನಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ’ ಎಂದು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ನಾಯಕರು ಮಾಡಿರುವ ಆರೋಪಗಳನ್ನು ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಡಿ.ಕೆ. ಶಿವಕುಮಾರ್ ತಳ್ಳಿಹಾಕಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವೈರಲ್ ಆಗಿರುವ ದೆಹಲಿ ಪ್ರತಿಭಟನೆಯ ವಿಡಿಯೊ ಕುರಿತು ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯಿಸಿದ ಡಿ.ಕೆ. ಶಿವಕುಮಾರ್, “ರಾಹುಲ್ ಗಾಂಧಿ ಅವರು ವಾಹನದ ಬಳಿ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗುವಂತೆ ನನಗೆ ಸೂಚಿಸಿದ್ದನ್ನು ಕೆಲವು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ನಾಯಕರು ಮತ್ತು ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳು ಅವಮಾನ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಿವೆ. ಅದೊಂದು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಅವಮಾನ ಎಂದು ಬಿಂಬಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಅವರೇ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಯನ್ನಾಗಿ ಮಾಡಿದ ನಾಯಕ. ಅವರ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಆಶೀರ್ವಾದದೊಂದಿಗೆ ನಾವು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಕೆಲವು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ನಾಯಕರು ಮತ್ತು ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳು ಗೊಂದಲ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಲು ಮುಂದಾಗಿವೆ. ನಮ್ಮ ನಾಯಕತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಪಾರ ಮಾನವೀಯತೆ ಇದೆ, ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಆಂತರಿಕ ಶಕ್ತಿಯೂ ಇದೆ” ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿದರು.
— kannadaprabha (@KannadaPrabha) October 16, 2026
However, the BJP has pointed out the interaction between two prominent Congress figures. Opposition members often use public events and conversations between leaders to question the unity of a party and suggest there could be some disagreements in the organisation. The BJP’s accusation that Shivakumar was treated badly during the Delhi programme contrasts with Shivakumar’s denial, which offers a different story and is not in agreement with the opposition’s analysis. The information available does not support Rahul Gandhi’s claim that he pushed or insulted Shivakumar, so it is important to distinguish the accusations by the BJP from the Chief Minister’s reaction.
The episode is also in the midst of ongoing political rivalry between the Congress and BJP in Karnataka and at the national level. Shivakumar is a top leader of the Congress party in Karnataka, with Rahul Gandhi a key national player for the party. Any controversy between the two leaders can certainly draw strong attention, especially if opposition parties use it to question leadership, respect and internal cohesion. Shivakumar's public defence of Gandhi shows his willingness to challenge the BJP’s claims rather than allow the allegations to frame the story around the event.
For now, Shivakumar has dismissed the claim that Rahul Gandhi insulted him during the ‘March for Democracy’ programme in New Delhi. His claim that Gandhi was the leader who made him Chief Minister has been the emphasis of his reply. The BJP’s accusations and its denial of the Congress leader’s version of it reflect two opposing points of view but show the rivalry between the two parties. Further investigations into the incident will help to clarify the situation, but Shivakumar is unequivocal in his stand: he stands by Rahul Gandhi and rejects the BJP’s claim of humiliation.
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