Karnataka Legislative Council: Congress MLCs heckle, push deputy Chairman from seat
A high octane drama unfolded inside the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday when Congress MLCs heckled and pushed Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council, SL Dharme Gowda, from his seat. Visuals show that the Congress MLCs forcibly removed Dharme Gowda from the seat. Dharme is a JDS MLC.
The Karnataka Legislative Council was called for a day-long session on Tuesday. The ruling BJP, backed by the JDS, was likely to insist on its no-confidence motion against Chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty -- a Congress leader.
The BJP argued that Shetty cannot preside over the proceedings since a no-confidence was being brought against him. It said that the deputy Chairman should preside of the proceedings in such a case. When Dharme Gowda took the chair, Congress MLCs created a ruckus and pushed him from the chair.
The BJP leaders even gheraoed Pratapachandra Shetty when he reached the House. But marshalls escorted him to the chair and he announced to adjourn the House sine die.
The Karnataka Legislative Council was adjourned sine die five days earlier. The Winter Session was originally scheduled between December 7 and 15. It was, however, cut short.
The BJP had last week said that it will bring a no-confidence motion against Shetty but he had adjourned the House ahead of schedule. The BJP government accused Shetty of abruptly adjourning the session sine die on December 10 and petitioned the Governor to convene the House again.
The BJP also wanted to table the anti-cow slaughter bill in the House and therefore it insisted on bringing the no-confidence motion to remove Shetty from the chair. The BJP feared that the bill may be referred to the select committee by the combined opposition.
The opposition Congress has been vehemently opposing the no-confidence motion against the Chairman. It is also demanding for referring the anti-cow slaughter bill to the select committee.
