K’taka Assembly witnesses uproarious scenes as BJP protests against ruling Congress’ five guarantees

PTI, Jul 4, 2023, 8:52 PM IST

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday witnessed uproarious scenes due to protests by the BJP against the ruling Congress leading to four adjournments by Speaker U T Khader.

As planned, the opposition BJP staged protests inside and outside the Assembly alleging injustice and cheating by the ruling Congress in the name of five guarantees.

Despite the commotion, Speaker Khader conducted the Question Hour and the Call Attention Motion.
Soon after the call attention motion, the Speaker adjourned the House till Wednesday morning.

Khader also announced the extension of the Assembly session till July 21 instead of July 14 as decided earlier.

While former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai led the agitation inside the Assembly, former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, BJP MP D V Sadananda Gowda joined hundreds of BJP workers at the Freedom Park here to protest against the government.

Yediyurappa charged the Congress with ‘misleading’ people through their five guarantees.

“Our agitation is against the failure of fulfilling the five guarantees. We are also opposing the government’s stand to withdraw the anti-conversion and anti-cow slaughter laws, which our government had introduced in the past,” he said.

Later talking to reporters, Yediyurappa, a central BJP Parliamentary Board member, backed JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s allegation of “transfer business”, referring to alleged corruption in the state.

“Whatever Kumaraswamy has said is absolutely true and I support his statement. We will fight together in future,” the BJP stalwart said.

Kumaraswamy had alleged that a new tax system “YST Tax” has been introduced by the state government.

During the protests at Freedom Park, former Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa predicted a repeat of Maharashtra in Karnataka.

“Whatever happened in Maharashtra is possible in Karnataka. Already an ‘Ajit Pawar’ is ready here. This government will not last longer,” Eshwarappa claimed in his address.

Earlier in the day, BJP legislators stormed the well of the House and raised slogans against the Congress over alleged delay in implementing the five guarantees made by it ahead of the elections, leading to a brief adjournment by Speaker U T Khader.

The proceedings began with the Speaker allowing the “star questions” to be raised. Accordingly, Congress MLA Shivalinge Gowda rose to raise the question.

However, former CM Basavaraj Bommai demanded acceptance of adjournment motion and discussion on the issue in place of the question hour.

Joining him, BJP MLA R Ashoka accused the government of “cheating” people in the name of five guarantees.

Soon, other BJP legislators too raised the issue demanding that their submission be allowed first.

The Speaker repeatedly appealed to the opposition BJP to allow the Question Hour to take place, but to no avail.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar took a swipe at the BJP saying they were unable to “tolerate the success” of five guarantees. “Let the Question Hour happen. Then we will hear their (BJP’s) ‘Pearls of Wisdom’,” he said.

However, the BJP MLAs were firm to make a submission about the ‘failure’ in implementation of the five promises.

Shivakumar sought to know whether the BJP ever fulfilled its promise of “depositing Rs 15 lakh in everyone’s bank account and bringing back black money parked overseas”.

“We are committed to our promises and we will fulfill them,” he asserted.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too appealed to the BJP to give up its ‘adamant posture’.

Soon the BJP legislators trooped into the Well of the House raising slogans against the government.

Following the din, Speaker Khader adjourned the proceedings for a brief period for the second time.
As the house assembled again, the BJP MLAs were on the Well of the house raising slogans.

Amidst chaos, the Speaker Khader went ahead with the question hour and later allowed the documents of various departments to be tabled in the house. Later, the House was adjourned for lunch break.

When the House assembled again, the BJP MLAs again stood in the well of the house raising slogans.

The Speaker’s appeal to the BJP leaders to return to their chair fell into the deaf ears. The unruly behaviour of members forced him to adjourn the house for brief period.

The proceedings started and the BJP continued its sloganeering. The opposition even accused the Speaker of being partial towards Congress.

Ashoka appealed to Khader not to favour a party, to which he retorted by saying he was impartial.

“I am neither this side nor that side. I am only on the side of law,” Khader replied.

Amidst commotion, the Speaker got the Call Attention Motion done. Later, he adjourned the House till Wednesday morning.

The BJP has decided that it will continue its agitation inside and outside the Assembly so long as the session goes on.