BJP workers protest against Shivalinga Gowda

The Hassan district unit of the BJP is staging a protest in Hassan on Wednesday demanding the resignation of Excise Minister KM Shivalinga Gowda. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The Hassan district unit of the BJP on Wednesday staged a protest in Hassan demanding the resignation of Excise Minister KM Shivalinga Gowda over his recent controversial statement suggesting “offering money with respect” to government employees for rendering service.

Party workers took out a protest march from the BJP district office to the deputy commissioner’s office. On the way, they raised slogans against the minister and also collected money from the public that it should be offered to the minister “respectfully”.

Addressing the protesters, the party’s district president Siddesh Nagendra said the party would offer the minister whatever was collected from the public during the protest. “If the amount collected is insufficient for the minister, we will collect more by visiting villages across the district,” he said.

He further alleged that the minister was advocating bribery by asking the public to offer money to officials and said that if he took moral responsibility for his statement, he should resign. Otherwise, the governor should remove him from the cabinet.

Published – 23 Sep 2026 19:26 IST