Siddaramaiah loses cool at protest rally

Belagavi, April 28: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday lost his cool and gestured angrily at a police officer on the stage, after a group of women– allegedly BJP workers–tried to disrupt his speech during a protest rally here.
The women who were among the crowd waved a black flag and raised slogans, Congress and official sources said.
Visibly upset, Siddaramaiah, summoned an Assistant Superintendent of Police rank — police officer onto the stage. Addressing him sternly, the CM said, “Come here, who is the SP? What are you doing?” The CM was seen raising his hand at the officer out of frustration, but withdrew it immediately, and then instructed him to remove those creating disturbance.
Despite efforts by AICC general secretary Raneeep Singh Surjewala and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil to calm Siddaramaiah down, he expressed his anger.
The CM was later seen questioning Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, who is from Belagavi. Siddaramaiah was addressing the “Samvidhan Bachao and Anti Price Rise Rally” here, attended by a host of Congress leaders and ministers of his cabinet.
Resuming his speech, Siddaramaiah said, “BJP and RSS will try to disturb peace like this everywhere. (PTI)