After the high-drama helmet protest through the day on Monday, 60 MLAs of the Opposition spent the night sleeping on the floor of the Assembly, according to media reports. They refused to budge till the Government issues a CBI inquiry into illegal mining.
Earlier, Opposition JD(S) MLAs wore yellow coloured mining helmets in the Karnataka Assembly for ''protection'' from some ruling BJP members, as the House witnessed high drama for the second day.
The action of the JD(S) members stemming from a row over illegal mining in the state invited a strong rebuke from Speaker K G Bopaiah, who asked them to remove the helmets saying "We are holding the session in the Legislative Assembly; not on the street".
The members justified their action saying they needed to protect themselves in the wake of allegations of threat of attack by some ruling BJP MLAs, who tried to rush towards the Opposition last Friday. Congress had called the BJP members' tactics as criminal intimidation.
As the House met on Monday, a united Congress and JD(S) demanded that the five BJP MLAs be suspended for remaining days of the session and the Speaker lodge a police complaint against them.
{{/usCountry}}As the House met on Monday, a united Congress and JD(S) demanded that the five BJP MLAs be suspended for remaining days of the session and the Speaker lodge a police complaint against them.
{{/usCountry}}The five from the mineral-rich Bellary district are: Tourism and Infrastructure Development Minister G Janardhana Reddy, Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy, G Somashekara Reddy, all brothers, T H Suresh Babu and B Nagendra.