Won't allow saffronisation of police force in Karnataka: DK Shivakumar

BENGALURU: Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday rapped a section of Karnataka police officials and questioned them on whether they were trying to saffronise the state police department, even as chief minister Siddaramaiah reminded the police force that there cannot be any bias towards any religion.
"We know how [some] police officers came to the police station wearing saffron shawls. If it was patriotism, then they should have come to work wearing the national flag. We will not allow saffronisation of the police department," Shivakumar said.
Siddaramaiah warned officials, saying that they would be held responsible if the law-and-order situation in the state deteriorated and asked them to act against those disturbing harmony through social media posts. He instructed police to give priority to solving the traffic problems in Bengaluru and controlling cybercrimes. "There cannot be any bias towards any particular religion. All people must be treated equally. Most importantly, police personnel have been asked to be courteous to the people who approach them for help and not treat them like criminals," he said.
In 2021, pictures of cops in white-and-saffron civil attire at the Vijayapura and Udupi police stations on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami went viral on social media.
Current CM Siddaramaiah, who was then leader of opposition, had attacked the BJP government in a series of tweets, suggesting that the saffron attire had sent out a wrong message to the public. "Why did you change only their uniforms, @CMofKarnataka? Give them the trishul. That way you can realise your dream of a jungle, Raj," the former CM had tweeted in Kannada.
Referring to the PSI recruitment scam reported during the BJP rule, Shivakumar said: "Imagine the level to which the police department would stoop if an ADGP-ranked officer indulged in fabricating OMR sheets in the PSI recruitment scandal?" The deputy CM alleged that police had harassed Cong MLA Priyank Kharge, the whistleblower. "The Karnataka police department had made a name for itself in the entire country. You have destroyed the honour and dignity of the department. Everything has to be cleaned up under our government. The message of change should reach the people. Your earlier behaviour won't be tolerated."
Shivakumar took police to task for their partisan attitude when Congress launched the 'PayCM' campaign against the previous BJP government. "I know how you (police department) behaved with me and CM Siddaramaiah during the 'PayCM' campaign. You lodged cases against us. Thousands of false cases were lodged against our party workers too. Why have you not booked a case against those who issued a statement that Siddaramaiah should be dealt with in the same way as erstwhile Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan? It was a clear case of provocation of murder, but you didn't book him (former higher education minister CN Ashwath Narayan)," Shivakumar added.