BENGALURU: Opposition BJP and JD(S) MLAs gave a no-confidence notice against Karnataka Assembly Speaker UT Khader to the Assembly Secretary on Wednesday for taking a one-sided stand in the House during proceedings.
BJP and JDS MLAs, including former CMs Basavaraj Bommai, HD Kumaraswamy, Suresh Kumar, Aravind Bellad, Sunil Kumar, Satish Reddy, R Ashoka, Suresh Kumar CB, Sharada Purya Naik, Munirathna, Harish Poonja, D Vedavyas Kamath, S Raghu and others have written to the Karnataka Assembly Secretary, seeking her permission to move the motion against the Speaker.
They stated in the letter, “The Speaker elected by Karnataka Legislative Assembly members has lost the trust of the House. This is why he has to be removed from his chair. Therefore, we request you to allow us to table a motion as per rule 169 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and allow us to discuss the issue.”
This move by the combined opposition came on a day when the Legislative Assembly witnessed chaotic and unruly scenes as angry BJP legislators tore papers, which were copies of the bills and agenda, and threw them at Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Lamani, who was in the Chair, as reported by PTI.
BJP sources said the Speaker’s post is non-political. But Khader is still acting like a Congressman and taking the side of the ruling party. BJP MLA Sunil Kumar said the Speaker attended a dinner hosted by Congress leaders that was also attended by senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and leaders from other parties.
Following this, Speaker Khader suspended 10 BJP MLAs for the remainder of the Assembly session for "indecent and disrespectful" conduct in the House.
Since the beginning of the day's proceedings in the assembly, opposition BJP and JD(S) members were protesting from the well of the House accusing the Congress government of deputing 30 IAS officers to "serve" its alliance leaders, who had met in the city on Monday and Tuesday to strategise for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
(Inputs from PTI)