Bengaluru, October 13, 2025 – A high-voltage political showdown unfolded at JP Park in north Bengaluru on Sunday when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Munirathna gatecrashed Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's "Walk with Bengaluru" outreach program, dressed in an RSS uniform, sparking a fiery confrontation that ended with his forcible removal by police. The incident, which turned chaotic amid slogan-shouting supporters and allegations of assault, has intensified the long-simmering rivalry between the two leaders and drawn sharp rebukes from the BJP, accusing Shivakumar of "arrogance" and disrespect toward the RSS.
The "Walk with Bengaluru" initiative, organized by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) under Shivakumar's chairmanship, was intended as a citizen-focused grievance redressal session to address urban issues like infrastructure and public services. Shivakumar led a nearly two-hour walk through the park before transitioning to the main program. However, the event quickly descended into pandemonium when Munirathna, the BJP legislator from the adjacent Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly constituency, made an uninvited appearance.
From Invitation to Invective: The On-Stage Showdown
Eyewitnesses and video footage captured the drama as it began. Spotting Munirathna in the crowd—clad in the distinctive RSS attire, including a black cap—Shivakumar, in a seemingly conciliatory gesture, invited him onstage, addressing him lightheartedly as "MLA, come here. Aye, the black cap MLA." But the moment Munirathna seized the microphone, the tone shifted dramatically. He unleashed a barrage of criticisms against Shivakumar and GBA Chief Commissioner Bhaskar, accusing them of deliberately excluding elected representatives like himself and the local MP from the event. "I am not invited to the event. Yet, as a citizen of the city, I have come to sit with you," Munirathna declared, pointing to the banners that omitted photos of local leaders. "This is a state government program... But there is no MP or MLA at the venue. I don’t know whether this is a grievance redressal program or a Congress party event."
The MLA's outburst ignited his supporters in the audience, who erupted into anti-Shivakumar slogans, clashing verbally with Congress workers present at the venue. Chaos ensued as the crowd surged, prompting police to intervene. Officers physically escorted Munirathna off the stage and out of the park, during which his RSS black cap was dislodged in the scuffle—a detail that would later fuel accusations of deliberate disrespect. Refusing to back down, Munirathna staged a sit-in protest just outside the park gates with his followers, who continued chanting against the Deputy CM.
Allegations Fly: Assault, Threats, and RSS Disrespect
As he was being removed, Munirathna escalated his claims, shouting to reporters, "They are trying to get me killed. They either want me to resign as MLA or see me dead. They have disrespected the RSS by removing my cap." He insisted the program was a government function masquerading as apolitical outreach, and his exclusion was a calculated snub by the Congress to undermine opposition voices in the city. The BJP MLA, who defected from Congress to BJP in 2019 and held onto his seat in the 2023 elections despite intense rivalry from Shivakumar's camp, framed the incident as part of a broader pattern of "thuggery" by the ruling party.
Shivakumar, undeterred, defended the event's format and pressed officials to continue the program despite the disruption. Later, addressing the media, he dismissed Munirathna's antics as unbecoming, stating, "He (Munirathna) might be mentally affected to behave this way in a public event." On the RSS uniform, Shivakumar fired back sharply: "He is bringing disrepute to RSS. What is the connection between the RSS and this event? He could have spoken here as an MLA. Residents of the constituency chased him away." The Deputy CM reiterated that the walk was a non-official, citizen-centric initiative without formal invitations for politicians, designed to foster direct public engagement rather than partisan posturing.
BJP's Fierce Backlash and Broader Political Ripples
The BJP swiftly rallied behind Munirathna, with state president B.Y. Vijayendra condemning Shivakumar on social media for "insulting a people’s representative" and the RSS uniform, calling it "the height of arrogance" that disrespected the Constitution and democracy. "There is no place for a culture of thuggery in a democratic system," Vijayendra posted, highlighting the failure to invite the local MLA to an event in his own constituency. The controversy has reignited debates over the politicization of civic programs in Bengaluru, a city long plagued by governance woes, and could embolden opposition attacks ahead of upcoming local polls.
No formal complaints or arrests were reported immediately following the incident, but the viral videos of the scuffle—showing Munirathna's ejection and the fallen cap—have amplified the row across social media and news channels. As Bengaluru grapples with urban challenges, this clash underscores the deepening fault lines between the Congress government and BJP opposition, turning a routine outreach into a symbol of partisan brinkmanship. Shivakumar's team has vowed to press ahead with the "Walk with Bengaluru" series, while Munirathna's supporters hint at further protests to demand accountability.
For More News Updates Follow Us On Www.tconews.in
