Representative image showing a police officer.
Credit: iStock Photo
In a healthy democracy, elected representatives and civil servants must work together with mutual respect to uphold the rule of law and serve the public. When this relationship is strained by a display of arrogance, the damage extends far beyond the individuals affected. The recent case involving Additional Superintendent of Police Narayan Baramani is one such example. Baramani has sought to be relieved under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly humiliated him at a Congress rally in Belagavi. Upset over BJP women members waving black flags during his speech, the chief minister had raised his hand against Baramani
in an ‘air slap’, a gesture both aggressive and disrespectful. This is not an isolated incident; Siddaramaiah had previously berated a deputy commissioner in
full public view.
Such outbursts may offer temporary political theatrics, but inflict lasting harm. They demoralise officers, weaken their standing in the eyes of their subordinates, and disrupt the chain of command. In his letter, Baramani says he was wrongly blamed for lapses outside his jurisdiction—he was responsible only for stage security, which he handled effectively. The incident, the officer says, has taken a severe emotional toll on him and his family—“my wife and children were in tears”. Yet, no senior police officer had reached out to him, exposing the lack of leadership within the police hierarchy. Only after the public outcry over his letter have the chief minister and Home Minister G Parameshwara intervened to urge him to return. He is yet to withdraw his resignation.
Sadly, such behaviour is not confined to one party. Opposition leader R Ashoka (BJP) was recently caught on video hurling expletives at a police officer. When those in the highest positions set such a poor example, what standards can be expected of others? The government has every right to hold officers accountable, but there is a time, place, and tone for doing so. Public shaming is not leadership, and certainly not statesmanship. The bureaucracy and the police force are the backbone of governance. If politicians continue to belittle those tasked with implementing policies and maintaining law and order, the entire system suffers. The absence of restraint can have a telling effect on the integrity of public service. We need a cultural shift where civil servants are treated with the dignity their roles demand. Leaders should understand that authority is asserted not through humiliation and intimidation, but through professionalism, fairness, and respect.