BENGALURU: The Budget Session of the state legislature started off on an acrimonious note on Thursday, with Congress members tearing copies of agenda in the Assembly and the party’s Bhadravathi MLA, B K Sangamesh, taking off his shirt to protest against the discussion on the ‘One Nation, One Election’ idea. While the MLA was suspended from the House for a week, there were heated exchanges between Opposition and ruling party members for the most part of the day as Congress kept insisting that the Speaker revoke Sangamesh’s suspension.
As soon as Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri initiated the debate, Congress members created a ruckus, terming it as an RSS agenda. Even as Kageri started reading his speech, they rushed to the well, raising slogans. During their protest, Sangamesh removed his shirt, leaving the House and his party embarrassed. Despite repeated pleas by Kageri, he did not wear his shirt. Finally, KPCC president D K Shivakumar got him wear it.
Taking objection to this, Kageri said Sangamesh had behaved disrespectfully and irresponsibly. “I am not going to tolerate your behaviour. This is an esteemed House and such behaviour is not allowed. He will be suspended for one week till March 12,” he said. Sangamesh was suspended under Section 348 of the Karnataka Conduct of Government Business in the State Legislature Act.
Later, Sangamesh, along with Opposition leader Siddaramiah and others, tried to sneak into the Assembly, but he was stopped by Marshals. Congress members continued their dharna in the well demanding that Sangamesh be allowed to attend the proceedings. Siddaramaiah said Sangamesh was protesting against the registration of a case of attempt to murder (IPC Section 307) against him and his family. “We demand revocation of his suspension,’’ he said.
Kageri, however, said both are different issues. “If a case under IPC Sec 307 is registered, should one remove their shirt?,’’ he questioned. “It’s not good to support such an act by a member of your party which ruled the country for 60 years.”
During Kageri’s speech, Congress members raised slogans against the BJP, the RSS and even the Speaker. They termed the move to take up discussion on ‘On Nation, One Election’ as “dictatorial attitude” and alleged that the Assembly was being turned into ‘Keshava Krupa’ (RSS state headquarters in Basavanagudi). After completing his speech amid the pandemonium, Kageri asked Siddaramaiah why he was taking a U-turn when there was already a list of 19 Congress members who were willing to talk on the topic.
Chief Minister Yediyurappa hit out at protesting Opposition members saying, “It is shameful, this is not democracy. People from your constituency will not forgive you.’’ When the Opposition members were making statements against the RSS, the CM said he himself is from the RSS and so is PM Modi. The Congress has no right to speak against the RSS, he thundered.Siddaramaiah questioned Kageri under which rule the debate was allowed.
Kageri, however, said he has initiated the debate under special discretionary powers given to the Speaker. But Congress leader and former Speaker Ramesh Kumar stated that power has to be exercised only during special occasions.
The JDS members neither supported nor protested. Sangamesh, who spoke to the media later, said the BJP government had filed many false cases against him and his family members. “To protest against this, I removed my shirt. I also did it against the debate on ‘One Nation, One Election’,” he said.