Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah has courted controversy after he attempted to snatch the mike of a woman who raised allegations against him during a public meet, which resulted in her dupatta being pulled off.

The incident happened in Mysuru at a public meeting held at Varuna constituency when the woman complained about the unavailability of the former CM’s son MLA Yathindra. The Congress leader, who lost his cool after the woman refused to back off and questioned him about the lack of developmental work in the constituency, pulled at the mic she was holding, along which her dupatta came off. He was further seen physically pushing the woman down to make her sit.

The opposition BJP was quick to chastise Siddaramaiah for his act.  They termed him “Kaurava government’s modern Dushashan”, in reference to the Hindu epic Mahabharata where Dushashan, Duryodhana’s brother, disrobed Draupadi in front of the king's general assembly. “Here is Siddaramaiah threatening and abusing a women openly. Demon Dushyasana is finally reborn and resumed power in the government of Karnataka. This is how Congress-JDS treats women,” the Karnataka BJP said in its tweet.

On being questioned by the reporters over the controversy, Siddharamaiah asked them to talk to JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy about it. The Congress has justified the former CM’s actions, stating that at times people tend to behave so, on being asked inappropriate questions.

CM @hd_kumaraswamy asks a farmer women were she slept

JDS MLA Sa Ra Mahesh calls women cop bloody rascal

& here is @siddaramaiah threatening & abusing a women openly

Demon Dushyasana is finally reborn & resumed power in govt of Karnataka.

This is how Cong-JDS treats women pic.twitter.com/iMUIgzRFmC

— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) January 28, 2019

#WATCH Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah misbehaves with a woman at a public meeting in Mysuru. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/MhQvUHIc3x

— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2019