Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has landed in fresh controversy after two separate incidents in the last two days: first, his refusal to wear a saffron peta at an official event in Belagavi district, and next, a viral video showing him returning a photograph of Guru Raghavendra Swamy handed to him by a devotee in Bengaluru. These twin flashpoints have strengthened the perception that the Congress government’s ‘secularism’ is being used as a cover for cultural bias, where Hindu faith markers are pushed away, pushed away in public, while gestures toward Islamic symbols appear to be accepted more readily, including past instances where Siddaramaiah has been seen wearing a skullcap.
Incident 1: CM declines saffron peta at Nandgad Rayanna event (Jan 19, 2026)
The first incident occurred on January 19, 2026, at Nandgad village in Khanapur taluk (Belagavi district) during an inauguration programme for Kranti Veer Sangolli Rayanna’s Veerabhoomi/Museum. As local leaders attempted to honor Siddaramaiah with a Kesari-colored peta, he declined to wear it, according to widely circulated visuals and local coverage. The refusal quickly turned into a major political flashpoint, with opposition leaders arguing that Siddaramaiah is repeatedly sending a message of discomfort toward Hindu religious symbols in the name of ‘secularism.’ They say a genuinely secular leader would not hesitate to accept a saffron peta offered as a cultural honor at a public program, especially when Siddaramaiah has, on other occasions, been seen accepting Islamic symbols such as a skullcap. The BJP has asked what exactly is objectionable about briefly wearing a kesari peta if the Chief Minister claims equal respect for all faiths.
Incident 2: Raghavendra Swamy photo returned from CM’s car in Bengaluru (Jan 20, 2026)
A day later, on January 20, 2026, another controversy erupted in Bengaluru when Siddaramaiah arrived in his car and members of the public approached him with petitions. As per Kannada Prabha reports, during the interaction, a devotee handed the Chief Minister a photograph of Mantralaya Sri Raghavendra Swamy. Siddaramaiah did not accept the photo; he immediately pushed it away and returned it, an act captured on video and widely shared online. The same reports noted that Siddaramaiah accepted a book on Chanakya from another person, intensifying the debate over why the Hindu swamiji’s photograph was rejected.
Jaggesh and R. Ashok slammed Siddaramaiah
The incident prompted strong reactions from BJP leaders and actor-politician Jaggesh, who posted on X that there is “no history of those who insult Rayaru prospering,” describing Siddaramaiah as the first person he had seen publicly rejecting something given with devotion. Opposition leader R. Ashok also attacked Siddaramaiah, alleging that the Chief Minister repeatedly disrespects Hindu symbols and sentiments and used the latest episode to intensify criticism of the Congress government.
This is not the first time CM Siddaramaiah has done this. Earlier, too, he invited Banu Mushtaq to the inauguration of the Mysuru Dasara event and faced criticism; there have also been controversies over his rejection of traditional honors, such as the Mysuru peta. Now, the repeated refusal to accept Hindu symbols and devotional gestures is being seen as a clear pattern. Many believe he is rejecting Hindu dharma to the core and that, as someone born a Hindu, he has no moral right to insult Hindu faith or treat Hindu sentiments with such contempt. Time and again, he appears hesitant to openly identify himself as a Hindu, even while being comfortable accepting minority religious gestures.
How can a chief minister be so visibly biased against Hindus and so accommodating towards minorities? These back-to-back incidents have left many in Karnataka angry and disillusioned, with a growing feeling that the state’s leadership is using secularism as a shield for cultural prejudice. In the end, voters must ask themselves a hard question: By repeatedly rewarding such politics, are the people of Karnataka allowing their own faith, culture, and dignity to be pushed aside?
