Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP on Wednesday slammed the Congress-led government, alleging that under the pretext of discussing the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, ruling party members insulted the Governor for declining to read the speech prepared by the State Cabinet while addressing the joint session.
The BJP demanded that the government express regret in the House. However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah denied that the Governor was disrespected and rejected the demand for an apology.
The heated arguments and counter-arguments between the Opposition and ruling party members led to chaos in the Assembly, forcing Speaker U.T. Khader to adjourn the House.
Raising the issue after the Question and Answer session, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka said, “A decision was taken to move a motion of thanks to the Governor’s address. Media reports clearly indicate that the Governor was insulted under the pretext of this discussion by Congress members. The Governor is the first citizen of the State. On one hand, Congress leaders are condemning the Governor, and on the other, they claim it is a motion of thanks.”
Ashoka alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s legal advisor and MLA A.S. Ponnanna had questioned the Governor’s conduct and accused him of failing to uphold constitutional responsibilities. “Ponnanna also questioned why the Governor was ‘afraid’ to speak about the government’s achievements. This amounts to insulting the Governor,” he said.
He further alleged that the Law Minister had said the Governor “ran away,” adding that several Governors in the past, including the late Hansraj Bharadwaj and Khursheed Alam Khan, had taken similar actions. “The Congress is projecting this as an unprecedented act,” Ashoka stated, demanding that the House apologise and close the matter.
Responding, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the issue would not have arisen had the Governor read the speech prepared by the government. “I do not agree to the demand for an apology. What wrong has the government committed?” he asked.
Ashoka countered by questioning the slogans of “Go Back Governor” and attempts to obstruct him while exiting the House by the Congress members. Siddaramaiah said he was unaware of such incidents and questioned why the Governor left before the National Anthem was played. “He should have remained until the anthem concluded,” he said.
Ashoka pointed out that Governors in the past had also exited in a similar manner. Siddaramaiah asked what the BJP had done at that time, prompting Ashoka to allege that Siddaramaiah himself had asked the Governor to stop reading the address when he was in the Opposition.
Siddaramaiah claimed he did not recall the incident, drawing criticism from BJP MLAs, who alleged he was deliberately forgetting it.
Senior BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar cited Assembly records from January 6, 2011, when Siddaramaiah was Leader of the Opposition and Hansraj Bharadwaj was Governor. He said Opposition members had raised slogans during the Governor’s address to the joint session, but Siddaramaiah had stood up and stated that they had great respect for the Governor while accusing the previous BJP-led government of corruption and urging him not to read the speech.
Siddaramaiah responded that his remarks were directed at the government, not the Governor.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the political situation at that time was different, as it coincided with the illegal mining scam that eventually led to the dismissal of the BJP-led government.
Ashoka accused Siddaramaiah of misleading the House, stating that the padyatra mentioned by the Chief Minister was undertaken later. BJP MLA Janardhana Reddy supported this claim, adding that the Congress had made Santhosh Lad a minister despite adverse rulings against him.
Janardhana Reddy further stated that CM Siddaramaiah undertook padyatra in July 2010. CM Siddaramaiah should not mislead the House.
As the arguments escalated, chaos prevailed in the Assembly, following which Speaker U.T. Khader adjourned the House.
(IANS)
