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BJP protests against suspension of MLAs, skips Bengaluru assembly session
BJP continued its boycott of the Assembly session in Bengaluru on Friday and protested near the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha
Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued its boycott of the Assembly session in Bengaluru on Friday and protested near the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha. The protest led by former CM Basavaraj Bommai, BJP legislators from the Legislative Assembly and Council protested against the suspension of 10 BJP MLAs and the deployment of IAS officers for private political events by the CM Siddaramaiah-led government.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah taunted the Opposition suggesting they should have protested before the statue of Nathuram Godse instead. In response to the protest, CM Siddaramaiah acknowledged the right to protest and oppose government actions but condemned the uncivilized behaviour of the BJP members, who tore pages and behaved unruly in the House.
“Such a situation (ruckus and boycott) has never happened before. This shows the Opposition’s anti-people and anti-democracy attitude. It is their right to protest and come to the Well (of the Assembly). But they went to throw paper at the deputy speaker. We don’t know what would have happened if the marshals were not there… not only they have boycotted and are protesting in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue. They should be sitting in front of the statue of Naturam Godse,” he said.
The Assembly passed a resolution on Wednesday suspending 10 MLAs, including four former ministers - R Ashoka, Dr C N Ashwath Narayana, V Sunil Kumar and Araga Jnanendra. They were suspended for their “indecent and disrespectful conduct” after they tore copies of bills and agenda documents and flung them towards the chair, said people aware of the matter.
As a response to the suspension, the Opposition BJP and JD(S) members boycotted the session on Thursday. BJP leaders protested in front of the Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha and also marched to Raj Bhavan to complain against the speaker and the state government. JD(S) Legislature Party leader HD Kumaraswamy also joined the BJP leaders in complaining against the speaker.
Former minister Kota Srinivas Poojari criticized the government claiming democracy. “If Siddaramaiah can recall, when he was in Opposition, in 2010, he had created a ruckus in the Assembly. Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed had thrown the mic in front of the speaker and DK Shivakumar had torn books. They were not punished but let off with a warning. But Speaker Khader has suspended the BJP MLA to remove our MLAs from the Assembly,” he said.
Meanwhile the ongoing absence of an official Leader of Opposition (LoP) from the BJP in the Assembly has been a notable point of contention. The position of the LoP is a mandatory requirement, and the failure to appoint one indicates internal issues within the BJP, according to people familiar with the matter said in Vidhana Soudha.
The Assembly session is expected to be adjourned ‘sine die’ on Friday, marking its conclusion without an official LoP, further adding to the BJP’s unique position as a party without an appointed opposition leader.
The assembly passed the budget, followed by the CM’s reply to the debate, in an unprecedented scenario where the opposition parties were absent. BJP and JD(S) members had boycotted the proceedings. “This is the first time in the history of Karnataka, to my knowledge, that the entire opposition is absent when the finance minister is replying to the debate on the budget and the house is passing the budget. They have failed in their constitutional duty by boycotting the house after exhibiting unruly and uncivilised behaviour. Shame on them,” said Siddaramaiah.
Slamming the BJP for its failure to elect its legislature party leader, who is to function as the leader of opposition in the assembly, Siddaramaiah said the party boasts of “Vishwa Guru” but could not find an opposition leader in Karnataka.
