Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has recently been embroiled in a controversy following an incident at a Congress rally in Belagavi. During the "Samvidhan Bachao and Anti Price Rise Rally," a group of BJP workers reportedly breached security and disrupted Siddaramaiah's speech by waving black flags and shouting slogans.

Visibly agitated by the disruption, the Chief Minister summoned a uniformed police officer to the stage. According to multiple reports, Siddaramaiah questioned the officer about the security lapse, demanding to know, "Who is the SP? What are you doing?". In a video of the incident that has since gone viral, Siddaramaiah is seen raising his hand towards the officer in what appeared to be a gesture of frustration, though he withdrew it immediately. He then instructed the officer to remove the protesters from the dais.

The incident has drawn strong reactions, with the opposition BJP accusing Siddaramaiah of threatening the police officer and abusing his power. BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra called the Chief Minister's conduct "inexcusable" and demanded action against him. The Janata Dal (Secular) also condemned Siddaramaiah's behavior, accusing him of arrogance and disrespect. They stated that a CM's tenure lasts only 5 years, however a government official serves the public for decades and termed the incident as an “unforgivable crime”.

In the aftermath of the incident, some individuals have come to Siddaramaiah's defense. However, the controversy has reignited discussions about Siddaramaiah's past actions and controversies. This includes allegations of corruption and land scams.

The incident occurred amidst existing controversy surrounding Siddaramaiah's remarks regarding national security. Just days before, he had faced criticism for stating that "war is not necessary" when commenting on the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He later clarified that he was not against action but believed war should be a "last resort".