Pralhad Joshi Questions Police Over CM’s Unauthorised Dharna
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi questions why no FIR was filed after CM DK Shivakumar and his cabinet held an unauthorized dharna in Bengaluru.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has launched a sharp attack on the Karnataka Police, questioning why no action was taken against Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his cabinet colleagues for staging an unsanctioned protest in Bengaluru.
The controversy erupted after the Chief Minister, in an unprecedented move, allegedly suspended a cabinet meeting to lead his entire team in a dharna outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). The protest lasted for more than five hours, raising serious questions regarding the enforcement of law and order protocols.
Unprecedented Protest by the Cabinet
Addressing the media, Pralhad Joshi expressed shock at the conduct of the state's top leadership. He noted that such an event was unheard of in the history of the state.
“For the first time in the history of Karnataka, the Chief Minister suspended his cabinet meeting and took all his cabinet colleagues in front of a constitutional institution office and sat for dharna for more than five hours,” Joshi stated.
The Minister pointed out a glaring double standard in how protests are handled. He noted that while opposition parties and ordinary citizens are strictly required to seek permission for demonstrations—often being directed to specific locations like Freedom Park—the state's highest officials appeared to bypass these rules entirely.
Demands for FIR and Police Accountability
Joshi directed his questions specifically toward the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) and the Bengaluru Police Commissioner. He demanded to know if an FIR would be registered against the protesters for holding an unauthorized demonstration in front of a sensitive election office.
“When somebody does dharna, including opposition parties or protests, you insist on permission. But the Chief Minister, without any permission, with his entire cabinet colleagues, went and sat before the election office... Are you going to file an FIR?” he asked.
The Minister issued a stern warning to the police department, suggesting that if permission is not required for the ruling government, it sets a dangerous precedent. He remarked that if this logic holds, citizens might soon feel emboldened to sit in front of police stations without authorization.
Criticism Over Form 7 Controversy
Beyond the protest itself, Joshi also took aim at the political narrative surrounding "Form 7." He criticised both Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for their stance on the matter, calling their arguments repetitive and misguided.
Explaining the technicality of the process, Joshi clarified that the procedure is transparent and accessible to all. He stated:
- Form 7 and all related statistics and details are readily available online.
- Any citizen has the right to access and submit the form through the internet.
- Once a form is submitted, the appropriate course of action is to conduct local enquiries rather than staging protests.
Joshi concluded by suggesting that the political outcry over the form was unnecessary, given that the data and submission processes are public and easily navigable for anyone seeking to engage with the system.