BELAGAVI: Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri expressed deep disappointment over the approach of ministers in the House, especially that of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhu Swamy, who left the Assembly asking the former to run the House himself.
It was around 6.30 pm, when the Speaker wanted to complete the day’s agenda by letting members raise their call attention. As Kageri started calling members to raise their issues, minister Madhu Swamy went out of the House, telling the speaker: “You yourself run the House.”
Before adjourning the House for the next day, the Speaker expressed his deep anguish and said, he was hurt by the attitude of the minister.
Earlier, a majority of ministers were there to reply to questions raised by the members, and the Speaker summoned BJP chief whip Satish Reddy to bring the concerned minister to the House. While the latter informed the former that the minister has gone out on some other work, Kageri asked whether being in the session was important or attending other work.
Using the situation to their advantage, Opposition members slammed the government, saying the ministers are not serious about their responsibilities. Deputy Opposition leader U T Khader said what was the use of holding the session in North Karnataka if the government and minister are not taking it seriously. Later, the Speaker asked the minister present in the meeting to reply to members’ queries.