Karnataka CM D. K. Shivakumar faces scrutiny over market visit optics

Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar faced criticism following a visit to the Yeshwantpur APMC market. During a breakfast event at the agricultural produce market, visuals emerged showing the Chief Minister being served food on a steel plate and tea in a glass, while other attendees and workers were provided with plastic plates and paper cups.

While reports suggest the host arranged the separate crockery, the incident has drawn scrutiny regarding the Congress party’s stance on social equality. The controversy follows previous statements by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has frequently campaigned against caste-based discrimination and the use of different utensils to denote social status.

Prior to the controversy, the Chief Minister’s unannounced visit to the market included inspecting the quality of garlic and verifying the accuracy of weighing scales at a local shop. During the visit, Shivakumar personally tested manual and electronic scales and purchased garlic from a vendor.