Karnataka Minister's 'Offer Respectfully' Remark Triggers Bribe Row, BJP Attacks

Karnataka Excise Minister KM Shivalinge Gowda has landed in a controversy over remarks that critics interpreted as endorsing the practice of offering money to government officials.

The minister was at a Praja Seva Andolana meeting in Sakleshpur, Hassan district, when people complained of being forced to offer bribes to officials to get their work done.

Responding to a query from a member of the public, Gowda, who is also Hassan district in-charge minister, said officials would do their duty. He then remarked, "Whatever you want to offer, you can do so respectfully. It is your dharma, but nobody should take money forcibly."

The remarks left some members of the audience surprised and triggered criticism over their apparent reference to offering money to officials.

"Why should we even give it respectfully?" an agitated audience member asked.

The minister responded: "I didn't ask you to give money. I asked you to give respect."

The opposition BJP latched onto the video and attacked the state Congress government.

ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಪ್ರಜಾಸೇವಾ ಶುಲ್ಕದ ಹೆಸರು - ಗೌರವಯುತ ಲಂಚ!

ಜನರ ಅಹವಾಲು ಆಲಿಸಲು ಪ್ರಜಾಸೇವೆ ಇಲಾಖೆ ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @DKShivakumar ಅವರ ಸರ್ಕಾರ, ಈಗ ನಾಚಿಕೆ ಮಾನ ಮರ್ಯಾದೆ ಬದಿಗಿಟ್ಟು ನೇರವಾಗಿ ಜನರ ಬಳಿ ಲಂಚ ಕೊಡಿ ಎಂದು ಅಂಗಲಾಚುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಪ್ರಜಾಸೇವೆ ಆಂದೋಲನ ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಬಕಾರಿ ಸಚಿವ ಶಿವಲಿಂಗೇಗೌಡರು "ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳಿಗೆ… pic.twitter.com/CKKbkPK4zA

— R. Ashoka (@RAshokaBJP) September 21, 2026

Leader of Opposition R Ashok slammed the Congress government, saying it is asking people to bribe officials. "'Public Service Fee' - Honourable Bribe! The government of Chief Minister @DKShivakumar, which launched the Public Services Department to listen to people's grievances, is now shamelessly urging people directly to 'give bribes'," he alleged.

Ashok added: "Minister Shivalinge Gowda declared, 'It is your duty to give it respectfully to officials,' thereby stating that taking bribes is the duty of the @INCKarnataka government."

BJP MLA Bharat Shetty also attacked the minister. "Minister is telling people how bribe has to be given in a respectful way," he said.

Under fire, Minister Shivalinge Gowda clarified that his remarks are being misconstrued and that he never asked people to respectfully give a bribe, but only said that officials doing their work must be given respect.

"What I said was 'give respect to the officers who get the work done'. In the viral video, I had clearly said not to give bribes to officers for any reason," the minister clarified.

He also slammed the BJP for circulating an edited clip. "It is saddening that the opposition is trying to defame our government by taking a small clip of what I said. Posting maliciously edited videos and trying to damage reputation is the mean trick of the BJP."

Meanwhile, activist Dinesh Kalahalli has also complained to the state governor Thawar Chand Gehlot against the minister over his alleged remarks.