BENGALURU: Proceedings in the Legislative Council were disrupted on Wednesday as the Opposition MLCs gathered in the well of the House to protest against Congress members criticising the Governor’s address while at the same time presenting the motion of thanks.
LoP Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said, “It either has to be welcoming the governor’s address or condemning it. It cannot be both,” he said.
Congress members said that they are not against the governor’s speech but against his action. They alleged that the governor disrespected the National Anthem. Opposing this, BJP members said that it was the government’s mistake of not playing the National Anthem immediately after the governor ended his address.
Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti told the members that they cannot take the names of the President and the Governor, or else he would have to take disciplinary action.
To the complaints that the Governor ended his speech after reading a paragraph, Horatti said, “Irrespective of whether he read the first paragraph or last paragraph, the governor’s speech is considered read and accepted.” As the chaos in the Council continued, the chairman briefly adjourned the House and invited the deputy chairperson, the leader of the House, the leader of the Opposition, and whips for a closed-door meeting.
After the council resumed, Narayanaswamy said that the Congress members have insulted the Constitution, and they have to decide whether they have to move a ‘censure motion’ or a ‘motion of thanks’ on the governor’s address. The chairman said that the leader of the House has accepted the governor’s speech, and their earlier condemnation will become “null and void”.
Narayanaswamy further urged that the Congress members express their regret for “condemning the governor’s speech” and that it be removed from the Council records, as it will set a wrong precedent, to which the chairman agreed. The council was later adjourned.