Siddaramaiah seeks Guv’s intervention to discuss Yatnal’s comments against Doreswamy in Assembly

PTI, Mar 4, 2020, 9:35 AM IST

Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka assembly Siddaramaiah on Tuesday sought Governor Vajubhai Vala’s intervention to allow them to discuss in the House BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s alleged derogatory comments against centenarian freedom fighter H S Doreswamy.

The former Chief Minister also said he will be meeting the Governor along with party leaders on Wednesday morning on the matter.

The governor should intervene immediately and provide an opportunity to the opposition to discuss in the House Yatnal’s “derogatory” statement against Doreswamy, Siddaramaiah tweeted.

He said the governor has powers under article 175 of the constitution to direct the assembly to discuss on important issues, and that he along with party colleagues will meet Vala tomorrow morning, requesting him to invoke it.

Siddaramaiah’s move to meet the governor comes in the wake of Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Tuesday rejecting his notice seeking discussion on the issue and Yatnal’s expulsion for allegedly violating a provision of the Constitution through his remarks.

Terming Speaker Kageri’s ruling as “partisan”, “undemocratic” and “dictatorial”, Siddaramaiah said the Congress would continue to protest in the house.

The Congress leader said Yatnal’s comments violated Article 51A of the Constitution, related to fundamental duties, and more specifically duty-(b)- “to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom.”

Yatnal’s recent comments against Doreswamy, calling him a “fake freedom fighter” and “Pakistani agent”, disrupted Karnataka assembly proceedings for the second day on Tuesday.