Karnataka,21 May 2020. Minister J C Madhuswamy has come under fire after a video showing him verbally abusing a woman in Kolar district went viral on social media. The Minister later apologised after a reprimand from Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.
The incident happened Wednesday when the minister had gone to inspect a pump house of the KC Valley project in Kolar district when the woman complained to him about encroachments on tanks.
The video shows that when the woman asked the minister to take action against the encroachment, an angry Madhuswamy wagged his finger at her and said: “Aye! Shut your mouth, rascal.”
Madhuswamy also directed the police to take away the woman from the spot.[the indian express.com]
This is very sorry state of affairs.
Voice of a woman is suppressed by Verbal abuse by Hon Minister & Physical Abuse by Police Inspector by outraging the modesty of woman. She was plainly talking to Minister.
Request @DgpKarnataka to book criminal case & suspend the inspector. pic.twitter.com/cGdvcgiQKG
— Dr. Anjali Nimbalkar (@DrAnjaliTai) May 20, 2020
According to reports, members of farmers’ associations, like Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, attempted to gherao Madhuswamy. Later, they were taken away from the place by the police.
Meanwhile, Karnataka CM Yediyurappa Thursday objected to the remark made by Madhuswamy and said he has warned the minister against using abusive words for anybody.
“What Madhuswamy did is not correct and I have warned him. Being a minister should not talk like that to any one. I will also talk to that woman also and I’ll ensure this doesn’t happen again,” Yediyurappa told reporters.
Opposition party Congress, too, has criticised the behaviour of Madhuswamy. Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah wrote on Twitter that the minister should apologise to the woman and also asked Yediyurappa to sack Madhuswamy from the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters on Thursday, Madhuswamy apologised to the woman. “If any one has been hurt with the words I used I will apologise. I shouldn’t have used such words when the woman started to tell her grievances, I heard her for five minutes and then I told her that we know our responsibility and will solve the issue. The woman, however, persisted. We asked her to close the issue, but again she didn’t stop and I got angry at this time,” Madhuswamy said.
