A major political row erupted over ill-treatment and harassment of a Dalit woman by personal security staff of CM Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru. In a Press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday Savitha, a Dalit woman alleged that she was detained humiliated and labelled as a call girl by the security staff of Karnataka CM as she forced her way to have Janata Darshan of CM to place her grievances.
Savitha, a mother of two, told the reporters she was humiliated when she had gone to meet the Chief Minister on May 17 to seek his intervention over a family property dispute. She said “I was made to wait entire day on the road outside CMs official residence. The security people did not allow my memorandum to be handed over to him. I protested and was taken to High Grounds Police station where I was abused and put to lot of mental torture. They even called me a call girl and it happened in front of everyone. For it was humiliating and terribly embarrassing.” She said she was seeking justice and protested. According to reports she was taken to High Grounds Police station and sent her to a remand home. She was released later next day after the intervention of her husband.
The incident has taken a political turn and JDs chief and former CM HD Kumaraswamy sought a detailed probe into the incident. He said “ this is just horrible. CM claims to be a champion of Dalits and backward classes and his security staff are indulging in humiliating a dalit woman. The law and order situation has deteriorated. He can’t remain a mute spectator. Congress will lose.” Meanwhile Bengaluru police Chief NS Megharikh denied the allegations and said the police have the evidence to prove that she was treated well like any other people. He dismissed her charges and said “we had to take her to custody as she threatened to commit suicide in front of CM’s residence”.