The Congress, from the very outset, appeared determined to raise the issue in the House.The Congress, the DMK and the National Conference on Tuesday protested in the well of the Lok Sabha and later staged a walkout, alleging that the BJP was effecting “politics of poaching” in Karnataka.
The Opposition parties were referring to the political upheaval in Karnataka after several MLAs of the ruling coalition government resigned, putting in jeopardy the future of the Congress-JD(S) combine.
The Congress, from the very outset, appeared determined to raise the issue in the House. Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sonia Gandhi could be seen giving instructions to Congress floor leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and other party MPs even before the proceedings had got underway.
As Speaker Om Birla took up Zero Hour mentions of other members, Opposition members stood and started shouting slogans, wanting Chowdhury to be heard. Unable to make any headway, they trooped into the well, where they were joined by members belonging to the DMK, National Conference and the Left. Even SP member Shafiqur Rahman Barq was seen standing with them.
As Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi took the lead to shout “tanashahi band karo (end this dictatorship)” and “shikar ki rajneeti band karo (end this politics of poaching)”, Rahul Gandhi could be seen participating in the chorus of “band karo, band karo”.
The Speaker warned members against bringing posters and resorting to sloganeering. “I will take action against you. The country is watching you. This is your House. Don’t make it the house of a civic body,” he said.
Birla, who had earlier rejected a notice for moving an adjournment motion given by Chowdhury, told him that the issue had been discussed in the House the previous day, and Defence Minister Rajnath Rajnath Singh had also responded to it.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that as far as the government at the Centre was concerned, “we do not have any role” in the Karnataka issue.
Ultimately, Birla relented and allowed Chowdhury to speak.
Chowdhury said: “There are two issues. The politics of poaching should be stopped. The politics of targeting should be stopped. Today, it is Karnataka and tomorrow it will be Madhya Pradesh. If MLAs are tempted with money and lured away, it is not correct…”
Rejecting Chowdhury’s accusations, Rajnath Singh argued that the Karnataka issue was an internal matter of the Congress. “The Congress cannot get its own house in order and is disrupting the Lower House,” he said.
Thereafter, Chowdhury announced a walkout and hurriedly left the House. He was followed by Sonia, Rahul, NC’s Farooq Abdullah, DMK member TR Baalu, and other opposition members.
