KARNATAKA: Ten MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party were suspended from the Karnataka Assembly for their “indecent and disrespectful conduct” in the House, PTI reported.
The MLAs have been suspended for the remainder of the session by Speaker UT Khader. The action was taken against CN Ashwath Narayan, V Sunil Kumar, R Ashoka, Araga Jnanendra, D Vedavyasa Kamath, Yashpal Suvarna, Dheeraj Muniraj, A Umanath Kotian, Arvind Bellad and Y Bharath Shetty.
The Assembly witnessed unruly scenes as BJP MLAs tore copies of bills as well as the agenda and threw them at the Chair. They also entered the Well of the House in protest.
The BJP legislators were upset against the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s decision to depute Indian Administrative Service officers to welcome leaders of Opposition parties for their meeting in Bengaluru on July 17 and July 18, according to The Indian Express.
The situation in the Assembly aggravated after the Speaker decided to conduct the proceedings without giving a lunch break.
Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai claimed that for the first time, officials had been used in the name of protocol for a non-official event. “An official of the rank of principal secretary was used as a clerk to welcome someone not covered under the protocol,” he said, according to PTI.
As the protest intensified, some of the BJP MLAs were forcibly taken out of the Assembly chambers by marshals. Following this, they staged a protest against the Speaker outside the House.
The MLAs, including Bommai, were then detained and taken away by the police. BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal fell ill during the protest and was taken to hospital.
On his part, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the protocol used for state guests had been followed and political leaders were treated in the same manner under all previous governments.
“We won’t fear your [opposition] threats,” he said, according to PTI. “Such issues are being raise for political purpose.”
Please visit our website London Institute of Peace Research for latest peace news
