Hirannaiah pokes fun at CM, Cong workers go on rampage

Mangalore Today News Network

Mysore , May 12, 2014: Congress workers in Mysore went on a rampage at a private auditorium on Sunday after a renowned comedy artiste Master Hirannaiah allegedly made fun of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the course of a programme where Master Hirannaiah was being awarded for his contribution to theatre art in the state.

 

Congress workers and supporters of Chief Minister Siddharamiah took strong exception to some risqué comments made by Master Hirannaiah, who holds a record in Karnataka for the number of stage performances he has put in.

In the course of the event, following the comment by the comedy artiste against Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah and AICC president Sonia Gandhi, a handful of Congress workers stormed the stage frightening away the women and elderly men who were on dais before destroying the chairs, tables and other paraphernalia that was set up on the stage for the programme.

The Congress workers were identified as supporters of the Krishnaraja constituency MLA M K Somashekar. The vandals stormed the stage, broke furniture and warned the artistes and organisers of the event at the Nadhabrahma Sangeetha Sabha on JLB Road.

The 70-year-old Master Hirannaiah who was taken aback by the turn of events expressed his apologies at the venue saying his remarks were due to an inadvertent slip of the tongue. Her later went to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who was in his Mysore home on Sunday to tender his personal apologies.

Following the meeting with Master Hirannaiah Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a hurriedly called press conference backed the artiste for his apologies and told the media and agitated party workers to put the matter to rest.  “It was an unintentional mistake but the matter has been blown out of proportion. Hirannaiah has apologised for the comment and there is nothing more to it,” Siddaramaiah said.

Later, Siddaramiah personally saw to it that the artiste was escorted out of his residence under police protection even as party workers poured into the Chief Minister’s house demanding that a case be filed against Hirennaiah. However, no case has been registered in the matter, senior police officials in Mysore said.