‘They’re living like dogs… let them go die at home’: Karnataka minister on police force

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has been caught on video calling his state’s policemen “dogs” and accusing them of being corrupt.

The video, which went viral on Friday, is said to have been recorded during a meeting that Jnanendra chaired. He is allegedly seen speaking on the phone with a police officer from Chikmagalur district and sounding angry over the alleged involvement of some policemen in the illegal transportation of cattle.

“Those who transport [cattle] are habitual. Your people know that. But they’re living like dogs eating bribes. Don’t you police people want a sense of self-respect?” He says.

“I had never spoken like this. But as home minister, should I continue or not? The entire Chikmagalur district is yours. I come from Shivamogga. All policemen have become bad and corrupt. We give them a handful of salary. Nobody wants to live off of the salary. They are living off of leftovers. If they are unfit, let them remove their uniform and go die at home. Let them get buried somewhere. How can people live by counting on them? People wield swords and take away cattle from the sheds.”

In a statement later, Jnanendra clarified that he was not referring to all police personnel. “I did not generalise to include all policemen. I was referring to only those who are colluding with illegal cattle transporters,” he said. 

“As the home minister, I respect the police. Karnataka’s policing system is good. It’s just that in my constituency the other day, there was an attack on people who tried to stop illegal cow trafficking. In that backdrop, I was referring to just some policemen,” he said.

During the conversation, the Minister referred to a cattle theft case reported in Thirthahalli on Tuesday. Two Bajrang Dal workers suffered injuries while they chased a vehicle that carried the cattle.