T.S. Srivatsa slams Police excesses, mismanagement

Mysuru: A day after the Jumboo Savari marked the culmination of the 11-day Dasara festivities, Krishnaraja (KR) BJP MLA T.S. Srivatsa accused the administration of mismanaging the celebrations and violating protocol.

Speaking to Star of Mysore on Thursday, Srivatsa alleged widespread protocol violations, claiming that even the State Chief Secretary had allowed people into areas where they were not permitted.

“The State Government’s invitations and protocol were not followed anywhere. Elected representatives, journalists and members of the public were insulted. As the local MLA, I should have presided over the Nandi Dhwaja Puja as per protocol, but I was not allowed at the venue,” he pointed out.

“However, Minister C. Puttarangashetty was allowed, while other Ministers Shivaraj Tangadagi, P.M. Narendraswamy and K.S. Basavanthappa, all of whom are Dalits, were denied entry. They were also manhandled when they tried to make their way to the stage,” Srivatsa alleged.

CM’s wife performing ‘Pushparchane’

Srivatsa objected to the Chief Minister’s wife Usha Shivakumar performing ‘Pushparchane’ to inaugurate Jumboo Savari, calling it a blatant violation of protocol. “This was the first time that the wife of a Chief Minister had performed ‘Pushparchane’ and it was a clear violation of protocol,” he maintained.

Questioning the protocol followed in allowing the Chief Ministers of two neighbouring States onto the stage, Srivatsa said that if they were permitted, ambassadors from more than 10 countries who were present should also have been allowed on the stage.

He also objected to Karnataka DG&IGP Dr. M.A. Saleem being left off the stage, alleging that this may have been because he was a Muslim, while Mysuru City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar was on the stage. “Is Seema Latkar superior to Saleem?” he asked.

Journalists insulted

Alleging that journalists on duty with valid passes were prevented from discharging their duties freely, Srivatsa said members of the public holding valid passes were also denied entry, which he termed an insult.

He further alleged that ticket holders were restricted from entering the Palace premises, depriving them of their rights. “I will knock on the doors of the Consumer Court if ticket holders who were denied entry send me copies of their tickets,” he said.

Srivatsa also said that he and fellow MLA Tanveer Sait were denied seats on the stage during the presentation of the ‘Karnataka Sangeetha Vidwan’ award at the Palace as part of the inauguration of the Dasara cultural programmes.

Police misconduct

He further alleged that the cancellation of the ‘Vajramushti Kalaga’ for the first time in recent Dasara history was due to Police misconduct. The cancellation, he said, was a blot on Dasara’s cultural traditions.

Strongly condemning what he termed Police high-handedness and excesses in crowd control and other security measures, Srivatsa said the serious injuries sustained by a four-year-old child in Police caning during the Jumboo Savari were highly condemnable and an example of Police brutality.

Asserting that his rights as an MLA had been denied, Srivatsa said, he would lodge complaints with the Assembly Speaker, the Governor and High Court Judges.