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Minister’s remark on dogs sparks backlash from section of K’taka Congress
A minister's comments linking leadership debates to stray dogs sparked controversy in Karnataka's Congress party, igniting political tensions and criticism.
A remark by a senior state minister involving a reference to high court observations on stray dogs intensified the sensitive leadership debate within the state’s ruling Congress party.
Speaking in Mysuru on Monday, social welfare minister HC Mahadevappa, who is reportedly close to chief minister Siddaramaiah, said, “Where is the discussion on leadership issue? The high court says time and again to catch stray dogs and confine them. Here, the political leadership is strong.”
Pressed on who he meant, he declined to elaborate. “I was only referring to what the high court had said. I do not know how you people perceive it,” he said.
Mahadevappa also rejected the idea that state leaders could influence decisions on leadership. “Who can give direction to the party high command? Can you and me direct it? It’s they who can give us direction and not the other way round. What if the tail wags the dog?” he said.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar declined to engage with the remarks. “I am not ready to react to Mahadevappa’s statement. Not just him, but anybody. I had said this before as well. Siddaramaiah and our Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge have also spoken on our leadership issue,” he said. “There is nothing hidden in this deal. Siddaramaiah himself will answer the people when the time comes.”
Meanwhile, Congress MLC and Shivakumar’s brother DK Suresh on Tuesday said that he did not know the remarks’ context but objected to comparisons involving party workers. “I don’t have the information whom Mahadevappa referred to as dogs,” he said, adding, “devout Congress leaders are not stray canines but honest dogs. They never ditch those who favoured them.”
Congress legislator Shivaganga Basavaraj also criticised Mahadevappa’s choice of words. “ He’s a senior leader and he should not have spoken that way,” he said.
Opposition leaders seized on the controversy. Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Leader of Opposition in the legislative council, said, “Congress leaders like dogs very much. Mahadevappa has subtly explained whether the dog is wagging its tail or tail is wagging the dog.”
