Ruckus in Karnataka assembly over CM’s statement on budget allocation for minorities outside House

PTI, Dec 7, 2023, 8:43 AM IST

Belagavi: The Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday witnessed a ruckus, as the opposition BJP accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of compromising the sanctity of the House, saying he announced Rs 10,000 crore for minorities at a Muslim community event recently, when the session is ongoing.

Alleging that the government which is unable to provide drought relief to farmers is announcing Rs 10,000 crore for minorities without bringing it to the notice of the assembly, the BJP demanded that the Chief Minister withdraw his statement and apologise to the House.

However, ruling party members, defending the CM, said that Siddaramaiah has only stated that he intends to increase the budget for the minorities department every year, and ultimately the intention is to spend Rs 10,000 crore through the department, and that the BJP was objecting as they are opposed to giving funds to minorities.

On December 4, addressing the Aulad-e-Ghous-e-Azam convention at Hubballi, Siddaramaiah had said, “I want to say that this year we have given Rs 4,000 crore to the minorities department (in the annual budget), and we will work to increase it every year. Ultimately our intention is to spend Rs 10,000 crore through the minorities department.” Raising the issue in the assembly, BJP MLA Sunil Kumar said, “It is a convention that has been followed in this House not to announce any government programmes outside when the assembly is in session, but the chief minister at a Muslim community event in Hubballi has announced Rs 10,000 crore. When the House is in session, as the member of the House we have a right to know.” He accused the chief minister of compromising the sanctity of the House and said he must apologise.

Several members of the ruling Congress including ministers like Priyank Kharge tried to defend the chief minister and said there was nothing wrong with what he said, adding that ultimately the matter has to come to the House, and every rupee spent has to be approved by the assembly.

This led to arguments between the ruling and opposition benches, despite Speaker U T Khader trying to shut it down stating that, “Let the chief minister come to the House and let him clarify. Until then, let’s go on with the further proceedings.” Intervening, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said that MLA Sunil Kumar who raised the issue is “ill informed or lacks information, and there is no breach of privilege or convention of the House on the part of the chief minister.

Stating that he was part of the event which Siddaramaiah addressed, he said, “The CM highlighting about budget allocation to minorities, stated that he would increase it further in the next budget and will try to reach Rs 10,000 crore… If CM had said he has sanctioned or will be allocating Rs 10,000 crore this year, then there would have been some credence to your argument.” However, Sunil Kumar and other BJP members cited media reports to back their argument, to which ruling Congress members including Ministers like Dinesh Gundu Rao objected, leading to chaos.

Rao and some Congress members even went on to allege that BJP’s “problem was not about any convention of the House, but about government plans to enhance spending on minorities like Muslims”.

“We give (funds) to all communities, unlike them (BJP).” Senior Congress MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy raised a point of order, citing the rule book, and said there is no ground for the issue to be raised in the House and it also does not amount to breach of privilege.

Intervening, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka (BJP) said, “We too have worked as ministers and have never announced any government programmes (outside the house) while in session, so I too had a doubt whether the chief minister who has experience of announcing (presenting) 14 budgets has made such a statement. But I myself saw it on a news channel — CM stating that he will give Rs 10,000 crore in this budget.

“If the CM announces outside when the session is on, why need a session? Your announcing outside makes it political,” he said.

Following this, arguments broke out between ruling and opposition benches as Ashoka, hitting out at Congress members who tried to disrupt his intervention, said, “I’m speaking as Leader of Opposition. If you disrupt like this, we too have the strength. When your leader, the chief minister speaks, we too have the strength. We are 85 people strong.” Several Congress legislators took strong exception to Ashoka’s statement, leading to more chaos.

Ashoka further pointed out that for drought relief the government is not able to release about Rs 2,000 crore, but they announce Rs 10,000 crore to minorities.

“A farmer named Shivappa has committed suicide. You don’t pay compensation to him and farmers, but you announce Rs 10,000 crore there… Don’t forget farmers, their curse will not let you be in power even for a minute,” he said, as he urged the CM to withdraw his statement.

As Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao tried to defend the CM’s statement, BJP members objected and demanded clarification from CM himself, leading to a heated argument.

The BJP subsequently walked out of the House, shouting slogans against the government.

With Congress legislators and Ministers like H K Patil accusing BJP of trying to turn the assembly into a “factory of lies”, and taking strong objection to Ashoka’s statement claiming to have strength to disrupt the CM when he speaks, he demanded that the LoP withdraw his statement and apologise.

Patil described BJP’s act as one that is detrimental to democracy.

Congress MLA C S Nadagouda too, raising a point of order, stated that the issue raised by BJP is not a subject matter of the House and that time is being wasted, following which Speaker Khader, considering the point of order said by Rayareddy and Nadagouda, announced that the matter is closed as the issue raised is not in accordance with rules of the House.