Bengaluru
Tensions flared at the “Walk with Bengaluru” event in JP Park on Sunday when BJP MLA Munirathna confronted Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for not inviting local elected representatives to the programme.
Munirathna, the MLA from Rajarajeshwari Nagar, arrived uninvited at the citizen outreach event dressed in an RSS uniform. As Mr. Shivakumar was about to begin a public grievance session after walking in the park for two hours, he noticed Munirathna in the crowd and jokingly called him “black cap” while inviting him on stage.
However, what followed was far from friendly. Munirathna grabbed the microphone and publicly criticised Shivakumar and the Greater Bengaluru Authority commissioner for excluding local MLAs and MPs from the event and not featuring their photographs on banners. The situation quickly turned chaotic as his supporters shouted slogans against the Deputy CM.
Police had to intervene and escort the MLA out of the park. During the scuffle, Munirathna’s RSS cap fell off, prompting him to accuse the Congress of trying to insult the RSS. “They either want me to resign or get me killed. They have disrespected the RSS,” he claimed, while staging a protest outside the park with his followers.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar clarified that the event was not a government function, but a civic outreach campaign to connect with the people. “No political leader was invited, as it was not an official event,” he said. Responding to Munirathna’s behaviour, Shivakumar remarked, “He might be mentally disturbed to act this way.”
Despite the disruption, the event continued as planned. Afterward, Munirathna’s supporters gathered at the gate, raising slogans and calling Shivakumar an “RSS hater,” intensifying the political tension between the Congress and BJP in Bengaluru.
