Priest and panchayat officer face action for derogatory remarks against Karnataka CM

Bengaluru Police have taken swift action against two public figures in Karnataka after derogatory remarks and objectionable content targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah surfaced this week.

On August 30, an assistant priest at a temple in Bengaluru was arrested for allegedly using abusive language against the chief minister. The priest, Gururaj Achar, associated with the Ganapathi temple under the Sri Raghavendra Swamy Seva Samiti Trust, made the remarks during an interview with a YouTube news channel. Police registered a suo motu case, arrested him, and later released him on station bail. Following his arrest, the temple trust suspended Achar and condemned his statements.

In a separate incident, a Panchayat Development Officer from Kalaburagi district, Praveenkumar Udagi, has been suspended and booked for posting a morphed image on WhatsApp that depicted Siddaramaiah wearing a skullcap. Officials confirmed he had shared the post on August 21. An inquiry against him is underway.

This is not the first time the chief minister has been subjected to offensive remarks. In May, a warder from Mysuru Central Prison was arrested after a video went viral showing him hurling abuses at Siddaramaiah.

The latest incidents highlight a growing trend of political leaders facing vitriol on social media and public platforms, sparking concerns over the boundaries of free expression and accountability in public discourse.