Karnataka Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh abuses IAS officer, calls her a 'bloody lady'

Just days after Congress legislators got into a drunken brawl at Eagleton resort in Bengaluru, an MLA from Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and Karnataka Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh has sparked another controversy for bad mouthing a lady officer.

The incident took place on Wednesday during Siddaganga seer Shivakumara Swami's final rites proceedings. Mahesh along with another state minister and MLA Venkatrao Nadagouda was restricted from entering the resting place of the seer by an IPS officer - Dr Divya V Gopinath.

In a video that has gone viral, the JD(S) MLA can be seen getting into a heated argument with Divya for stopping him and two of his colleagues from entering the building complex of the Tumakuru mutt. She finally lets them enter the mutt after the argument.

The minister can be seen shouting at the lady police officer saying "don't you know we are ministers, you bloody lady". However, the police officer has stated that it was a cooked-up story and nothing much had happened.

Seconds later, the officer was seen in tears and Mahesh's colleague MLA SR Srinivas was seen consoling her with folded hands asking her not to make it an issue.

However, Mahesh denied his misbehaviour towards Divya saying he has not committed any mistake and refused to apologise to her.

"The SP did not allow my colleagues and me to pay respects to the Siddaganga seer. Police allowed many unknown people, including former BJP minister G Janaradhana Reddy to enter, but stopped cabinet ministers. As a police officer, she should know who her ministers are", said Mahesh, reports TOI.

Later the lady officer also denied of any such misbehaviour by the MLA and said that these things are common while handling the security at such events. "When the minister came, there was some confusion. When we got to know that he's a minister, we let him in. I don't know how it turned into a huge controversy when nothing as such happened here. Mahesh did not use any foul language", said Divya.

Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy came into rescue his party legislator by defending him saying that, Mahesh has not done anything wrong and there is need to be sorry.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took the issue to social media demanding Mahesh's resignation for insulting the modesty of a woman officer.

The BJP wrote in their official Twitter that, "JDS MLA and Minister Sa Ra Mahesh abuses Tumakuru SP Divya. Calls the women police officer "Bloody Rascal". Women officer was spotted crying. Officer had left her unwell kid and reported to work. This is what happens when a party of 38 MLA runs the state".

BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje also responded to the incident saying that the minister has no right to use foul language to a woman officer. She also took the matter to social media.