Karnataka CM forced to cut short reply amid frequent adjournments, chaos

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Legislative Council in Bengaluru on Friday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Frequent disruptions and adjournments – after ruling and Opposition members locked horns over honey-trapping incident and an inappropriate word was used by a Congress member – plunged the Legislative Council into chaos for most part of the day even as the Budget and half a dozen Bills were passed in the midst of protest.

During the last day of the three-week-long Budget session, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was forced to cut short his reply on the Budget as the BJP and JD(S) members entered the well of the House and raised slogans against the 4% quota to Muslims in public works. They also demanded an answer from the Chief Minister over the honey-trapping allegations made by Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna. Despite Chairman Basavaraj Horatti asking the Opposition to allow the Chief Minister to complete his speech, they were unrelenting.

I am angry: CM

“We are only trustees of public money and we are committed to spending judiciously. They are not willing to listen because they fear that I will expose the Centre and the previous BJP government,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said, before ending his speech abruptly as BJP members displaying CDs and posters sought an investigation by a sitting judge or the CBI. “Mr. Rajanna is a Minister and he has not named anyone. We will institute a high-level inquiry,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

Earlier, Congress member Puttanna’s remark against Leader of the Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy during the Budget discussion, triggered a slugfest. Though Mr. Horatti expunged the remark, the Opposition insisted that Mr. Puttanna be sent out of the House. “He is a habitual offender. We insist that he be sent out of the house,” Mr. Narayanswamy said, as the BJP and the JD(S) members protested in the well.

Despite request, Mr. Puttanna refused to apologise stating that he had said nothing derogatory. When he finally relented and offered a “conditional apology” asking Mr. Horatti to go through video footages and make an announcement, BJP members were not satisfied. Finally, on the request of the Chairman, the Opposition went back to their seats.

On Dalits

In the morning, the statement of Congress member Sudham Das that Dalits would not support the BJP anymore triggered a row, resulting in heated exchange of words for over half an hour, during which Mr. Horatti did not intervene and let the cacophony prevail. When he intervened, the verbal attacks still continued, forcing him to adjourn the House.