Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has once again courted controversy after making a statement that he was "scared of people who sport long kumkum or ash tikas".
The Senior Congress leader made the statement while addressing an event to inaugurate a lake rejuvenation programme in Badami, a video of which has gone viral.
In the video, after the contractor of the rejuvenation work is pointed out to him in the crowd, Siddaramaiah is heard saying, "You are wearing kumkum, will you do the work properly? I am scared of people who sport such tilaks. You have to do the work properly and finish it on time. I have a fear of people who sport long tikas on their foreheads."
#WATCH Former Karnataka CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah, says, "I am scared of people who put long tikas with kumkum or ash", at an event, in Badami, Karnataka, yesterday pic.twitter.com/2UMjVI3DkL
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2019
The statement drew widespread criticism on social media with #SelfieWithTilak trending on Twitter. Netizens and several BJP leaders took to Twitter to call out Siddaramaiah for his comments and shared photos of themselves sporting tilaks.
Here are a few responses to the comment.
I am tweeting My pic with Tilak to show Protest against Anti Hindu/Anti Indian Culture CM Siddaramaiah . I request everyone to Tweet your Pic/Selfie with Tilak ,Tag @siddaramaiah with Hashtag #SelfieWithTilak pic.twitter.com/ra5YrwcZUY
— Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) March 6, 2019
Such an utter disgusting statement from the former CM @siddaramaiah,
— Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) March 6, 2019
No shame, dignity&decency is left with cong leaders. Completely bankrupt soul filled with venom& Malice.
Tilak has nothing to do with politics, Its all part of Indian culture & I'm proud of it.#SelfieWithTilak pic.twitter.com/nOpZyUoZD5
Now PM imran khan is trying to impress @siddaramaiah 🤣#SelfieWithTilak #TNWelcomesModi#IndiaFirstModiBest pic.twitter.com/O5OwYo0nZU
— Lahore Police 🇲🇴 (@LahorPolice) March 6, 2019
#SelfieWithTilak Proud of our culture and traditions @TajinderBagga ji pic.twitter.com/dJKpU9uNfl
— Ajay Pratap Singh Tomar (@pratap3491) March 6, 2019
Unapologetic Staunch Hindu Nationalist#SelfieWithTilak pic.twitter.com/Mukj5LYzd9
— प्रितीश ठाकरे #हिन्दू🚩#AbhinandanMyHero (@PritishThakare) March 6, 2019
Some even shared photos of Siddaramaiah and Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi sporting long tilaks in response to the comment.
#SelfieWithTilak @siddaramaiah we are scared of chameleon like you... pic.twitter.com/2mVbL0Opmt
— Nikhil_Kr. (@nikhs_k) March 6, 2019
Don't misunderstand @siddaramaiah , he was sacred of @RahulGandhi ..He prefers pappu in Topi with holes.... #SelfieWithTilak pic.twitter.com/ZK37UHNioO
— देसी इंजीनियर 🇮🇳 (@MznBoy) March 6, 2019
i think @siddaramaiah was talking about them..😁#selfiewithtilak pic.twitter.com/ewohXc8zxm
— @nup (@npeubac) March 6, 2019
Oh i see, May be @siddaramaiah is right !#SelfieWithTilak pic.twitter.com/0t0bYvS0U7
— Er.Dipen Pandya (@dipenpandya86) March 6, 2019
Not new to controversy, Siddaramaiah in January drew flak for his behaviour while interacting with Jamalar, a former vice-president of T Narsipur Taluk Panchayat, during a public function at Gargeshwari village, under Varuna Assembly constituency.
Siddaramaiah got restless when Jamalar accused the officials of not responding to the people’s problems. He burst out in anger and snatched the microphone from her hand and told her to shut up and sit down when she complained that Siddaramaiah had come to the village after a long time and that his son and local MLA Dr Yathindra was also not available to the common people.