Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the Legislative Assembly session in Bengaluru on Monday.
| Photo Credit: HANDOUT E MAIL
The Legislative Assembly witnessed acrimonious scenes on Monday over certain remarks made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during his reply to the motion of thanks to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s address to the State legislature.
Trouble began when the Chief Minister, while brushing aside the Opposition’s allegations that the law and order situation had collapsed, made certain remarks against the RSS and its role with respect to law and order.
This angered the BJP members who questioned the need and propriety of making such allegations against the RSS in the Assembly. Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok remarked: “Let the Chief Minister say these things against the RSS in public if he has courage, instead of making such allegations within the shelter of House.”
BJP member C.N. Ashwath Narayan said it was not befitting of the dignity of the Chief Minister’s position to make such allegations.
The BJP members urged Shivalinge Gowda, who was officiating on behalf of the Speaker, to expunge the remarks. But he refused to do so on the grounds that they were not “unparliamentary”. When they urged the Chief Minister to withdraw them, he stood his ground firmly, saying that he had neither made any unparliamentary remarks nor did he say anything false.
Following this, the BJP members hurled wild allegations against the Congress central leaders. This angered the ruling members who shot back.
Several Ministers, including Priyank Kharge, led the charge from the Congress side against the BJP.
The House plunged into pandemonium as a few members started hurling abuses besides indulging in sloganeering, forcing Mr. Gowda to adjourn for some time to restore order. However, the impasse continued even after the House met, resulting in one more short adjournment during which Speaker U.T. Khader held a conciliatory meeting with floor leaders.
When the House re-assembled, the Speaker announced that he would expunge all the controversial remarks.
Illegal recording
Earlier, the House witnessed one more controversial episode with the Congress members accusing a BJP member of illegally recording the proceedings through his mobile phone though such recording is prohibited in the House.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil even appealed to the Speaker to name the member who indulged in such an act and take an appropriate action against him.
Claiming that none from their side had indulged in video-recording, the BJP members launched a counter-attack by taking exception to a few Congress members bringing huge national flags inside the House during the protest with respect to the remarks over the RSS. They alleged that a few Congress members had disrespected the national flag by inappropriately crushing it instead of neatly folding after waving it as a mark of protest. They even demanded an inquiry by a retired High Court judge into the episode.
However, the issue ended there itself as the House went ahead with its day’s agenda.
Published – March 18, 2025 12:46 am IST
