Minister rants at woman IPS officer, triggers controversy

BENGALURU: First it was a drunken brawl between Congress ministers at a resort. Now, a JD(S) minister has allegedly embarrassed the sevenmonth-old coalition government. On Wednesday, a video showing tourism minister Sa Ra Mahesh allegedly behaving crudely with a woman IPS officer during the funeral of Siddaganga Mutt seer Shivakumara Swami was widely shared.

Eye-witnesses said Divya V Gopinath, Tumakuru superintendent of police, was reduced to tears after Mahesh abused her for not allowing him and his two cabinet colleagues Venkatrao Nadagouda and SR Srinivas to enter the building where the final rituals were being performed.

Mahesh, however, denied he abused the officer and refused to tender an apology. He said he only asked the SP why she was causing a nuisance at the funeral.

“I have not committed any mistake,” Mahesh said. “The SP did not allow my colleagues and me to pay respects to the Siddaganga seer. Police allowed many unknown people, including former BJP minister G Janaradhana Reddy to enter, but stopped cabinet ministers. As a police officer, she should know who her ministers are.”

The video of the incident was widely shared on Wednesday, moments after chief minister HD Kumarswamy and home minister MB Patil heaped praise on the police for ensuring the last rites of the seer went off peacefully. In the video, Mahesh is seen engaged in a heated argument with Divya. Srinivas later consoles the sobbing uniform-clad officer by touching her inappropriately and later pleading with her with folded hands not to make an issue of it.

“Don’t you know, we are ministers, you bloody lady,” Mahesh reportedly shouted at the SP. Divya, 37, a medical doctor, belongs to the 2010 IPS cadre.

While BJP leaders attacked Mahesh, demanding his resignation for insulting a woman officer in public, he also faced a barrage of vicious social media trolls for insulting the modesty of a woman. However, Kumaraswamy defended Mahesh, insisting he did not do anything wrong.

“The district SP insulted not only Mahesh but also me since he is part of my cabinet,” the CM said. “District SPs should know who cabinet ministers are. He did not use any foul language and doesn’t need to apologize. All small people were let in and not big people.”

Speaking to reporters, Divya took a diplomatic line, saying she was not aware that she had stopped a minister. “When the ministers came, there was some confusion,” she said. “When I learnt they are ministers, we let them in. These things are quite common while handling security arrangements at big events. Mahesh did not use any foul language.”

The woman officer had served as Tumakuru SP till recently. She had requested and was sent on leave after saying she was unable to take care of her newborn baby. However, she returned from her native Kochi to help with security arrangements.

Sources said Divya was only following orders as she was directed by IGP B Dayananda (central range) to allow only select people into the building for the ceremony.

“She was given a list of people to allow inside the building,” a source said. “But the visit of Kumaraswamy at the last minute forced more ministers, who were not on the list, to enter the building.”