Protocol row erupts over Dasara ritual MLA Srivatsa trains guns on Chief Secretary
Mysuru: A protocol row has erupted over the offering of floral tributes to Goddess Chamundeshwari atop the caparisoned elephant during the historic Vijaya Dashami procession, with Krishnaraja Assembly constituency MLA T.S. Srivatsa announcing that he would lodge a complaint against Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh before the State Legislative Assembly Speaker.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Srivatsa alleged that the protocol issued on September 28 had been violated during Wednesday’s Jamboo Savari, raising questions over who was authorised to step onto the podium and offer flowers to the deity seated inside the golden howdah. The protocol clearly specified that only a select few were permitted to climb the podium to perform the ritual. While Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Kerala offered floral tributes, he said their participation could be viewed in the context of their status as invited state guests. However, the presence of Shivakumar’s wife on the podium and her offering flowers to the goddess was unprecedented in the history of Mysuru Dasara, he claimed. Srivatsa further alleged that the Chief Secretary had no designated role on the podium under the prescribed protocol, yet she too was present to offer flowers to the deity. He termed this a clear violation and said he would submit a complaint to the Assembly Speaker next week.
Questioning the arrangements, the MLA pointed out that City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar was on the podium, while State Director General and Inspector General of Police Dr. M.A. Saleem was seated among the audience. “Is the city police commissioner senior to the state’s top police officer?” he asked, questioning the apparent disparity in protocol. He added that if the ritual was open to those beyond the designated list, foreign ambassadors too could have been invited to participate.
‘Scant regard’ Turning his criticism towards the overall organisation of Dasara, Srivatsa alleged that the festival had been marred by serious lapses on the part of the police and district administration, leaving ordinary citizens to bear the brunt. He expressed concern over the alleged police lathi-charge incident in which a four-year-old boy sustained head injuries and was undergoing treatment in a private hospital. He alleged that no district administration official had visited the child. The MLA also condemned the alleged high-handedness of the police in denying entry to journalists into the palace despite their possessing duty passes issued by the Police Commissioner. In another appeal, Srivatsa urged people who had purchased tickets priced at ₹2,000 to watch Jamboo Savari from inside the palace but were allegedly prevented from entering by the police to send him photographs of their tickets through WhatsApp. He said he would take up the matter before the Consumer Court and seek appropriate compensation for the affected ticket-holders.
