Visibly angered by a disruption caused by women BJP workers during a Congress rally in late April, Siddaramaiah summoned the local police officials in charge onto the dais. When neither the local ASP nor the DSP responded, ASP Baramanni rushed to the dais and was immediately met with a slapping gesture from the Chief Minister.
Published Jul 02, 2025 | 11:39 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 02, 2025 | 11:39 PM
Dharwad Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Narayan Baramanni
Synopsis: After being publicly humiliated by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during a rally in Belagavi, Dharwad ASP Narayan Baramanni has sought voluntary retirement, citing loss of dignity and justice. The incident, where the CM made a slapping gesture towards Baramanni on stage, was captured on camera and widely condemned.
Nearly two months after being publicly reprimanded and subjected to a slapping gesture by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Dharwad Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Narayan Baramanni has submitted a request to the state government seeking voluntary retirement from service.
“Having been publicly insulted and humiliated by the behaviour of the Honourable Chief Minister on a public platform for a mistake I did not commit, I have no other option but to voluntarily resign and I request that you accept this,” Baramanni wrote in an emotional letter dated 28 June and addressed to the Chief Secretary.
“Having been unable to secure justice for myself, how can I work towards securing justice for others? I may have escaped from being slapped in public by the Honourable Chief Minister, but not from the public humiliation.”
The incident occurred during the Congress party’s ‘Save the Constitution’ rally held in Belagavi on 28 April. A group of BJP women workers, dressed in black, disrupted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s speech by raising slogans against the Congress government.
Visibly angered by the disruption, Siddaramaiah summoned the local police officials in charge, demanding, “Who is this SP? What have you been doing? Who are all these people shouting slogans?”
When neither the local ASP nor DSP responded, ASP Baramanni rushed to the dais and was immediately met with a slapping gesture from the Chief Minister.
CM @siddaramaiah’s public outburst against senior police officer comes as no surprise – after all, even the sacred Doors of Vidhana Soudha, the Temple of Democracy, have previously borne the brunt of his anger.
Its apparent now that our CM is deep under the influence of Pakistan… pic.twitter.com/KWRZZPCodo
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) April 28, 2025
Video footage of the incident, which later went viral, showed Siddaramaiah raising his hand in anger. Though he appeared to restrain himself from actually striking the officer, Baramanni was seen flinching, prompting senior Congress leaders to intervene and defuse the situation.
Congress leaders present at the rally – including MP Randeep Singh Surjewala and Ministers MB Patil and HK Patil – attempted to calm Siddaramaiah, who appeared agitated over what he saw as a lapse in security.
Police subsequently detained the BJP women protesters and took them to the local station. Once order was restored, Siddaramaiah resumed his speech, saying:
“Having been unable to secure justice for myself, how can I work towards securing justice for others? I may have escaped from being slapped in public by the Honourable Chief Minister, but not from the public humiliation.”
The incident invited strong condemnation, with many questioning the propriety of the Chief Minister’s conduct towards a serving police officer.
State BJP President BY Vijayendra criticised Siddaramaiah’s behaviour, calling it “hooliganism.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
