The controversy surrounding a Ganesh procession in Mysuru district's T Narasipura has intensified further after Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar publicly defended Police Inspector Dhananjay, whose remarks to festival organisers triggered a political storm. This issue, which started with procession management and law and order issues, has since become a major political battle between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.
The row started after a video allegedly showing Inspector Dhananjay warning Ganesh procession organisers went viral on social media. In the clip, the officer is heard warning organisers not to cause trouble during the procession and to stop bursting firecrackers near a mosque. Hindu organisations and BJP leaders protested the officer's language to devotees.
As criticism increased, BJP leaders marched on the police station and demanded the suspension of Inspector Dhananjay. Party workers protested outside the local police station and claimed that the officer had insulted Hindu devotees and exceeded his authority in interacting with festival organisers.
The opposition also received a boost when senior BJP leaders came out in support of them and criticised the Congress government for not dealing with religious sentiments. Opposition leaders said that the officer’s comments were biased and that action should be taken against him.
But Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has solidly backed the police officer, saying the comments were not meant to lead to problems in law and order but were aimed at any community or religious group.
Responding to questions on the controversy, Shivakumar said that a police officer must command respect and authority. The inspector’s comments should be taken into account in the context of maintaining peace and preventing violence during sensitive public events.
Shivakumar said police officers are known for using strong language when issuing warnings on public safety. The inspector had only wanted to ensure that no criminal activity occurred during the procession, he said, and the officer had merely sent a message in police language, which was precautionary.
The Chief Minister also criticised BJP leaders for taking on a local administrative issue that he described as a local administrative issue and turning it into a statewide political issue. Shivakumar took a strong swipe at Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and asked why senior opposition leaders had chosen to involve themselves in what he said was a local issue which could have been handled at the local level.
He argued that the position of Leader of the Opposition is a constitutional office and that political leaders should be focusing more on big public issues than local ones. Shivakumar said he expected opposition leaders to maintain a higher level of political engagement and to avoid turning every local clash into a political clash.
The Chief Minister's comments have only widened the political divide. While Congress leaders have largely supported the police officer’s actions as part of routine law-and-order management, BJP leaders still demand disciplinary action and have accused the government of protecting the inspector.
But the controversy has opened wider discussions about the role of law enforcement during religious festivals. Police departments in Karnataka often face the challenge of balancing religious celebration with public safety issues, particularly when processions pass through sensitive areas or places where tensions could potentially arise.
To ensure peaceful celebrations, authorities regulate routes, sound levels, firecrackers, and crowd management. The inspector’s defenders say that his comments were in line with these duties, while critics insist that the manner in which the warning was delivered was inappropriate.
The issue has also attracted the attention of various Hindu organisations, some of which have announced further protests and public events in support of festival organisers. The developments have increased political and public interest in T Narasipura, a town that has now become the centre of a statewide debate.
The controversy is far from over; BJP is still protesting, and Congress is sticking behind the police officer. Political observers think the issue will remain in the headlines in the coming days as both parties work to rally public opinion around the issue.
For now, DK Shivakumar's comments have made clear the Congress government's position. The Chief Minister has not only defended Inspector Dhananjay's actions but has also accused the opposition of unnecessarily politicising a law-and-order issue.
As Ganesh festival celebrations continue across Karnataka, all eyes are still on T Narasipura, where a dispute over procession arrangements has become a political flashpoint between the state’s top political leaders.
