BENGALURU: Protests by the opposition marked the opening budget session in the state legislature on Monday as Congress and JD(S) strongly condemned BJP legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s remarks against HS Doreswamy and demanded action.
There were fulminations in both Houses. No business could be conducted in the legislative council, which was adjourned. In the assembly, several bills were tabled amid the din. Chief minister BS Yediyurappa also replied to the governor’s address.
Last month, Yatnal had called Doreswamy a fake freedom fighter and an agent of Pakistan, sparking outrage. He refuses to apologise, and BJP has rallied behind him.
“He (Yatnal) has insulted the entire freedom movement by calling Doreswamy a fake freedom fighter. It’s unpardonable. He should apologise or the speaker should strip him of his assembly membership,” Siddaramaiah, leader of opposition, said in the assembly.
Congress and JD(S) have decided to remonstrate again on Tuesday.
“By insulting Doreswamy, Yatnal has showed disrespect to the Constitution. We are not ready to sit with such anti-nationals. The speaker must act against him,” Siddaramaiah tweeted later.
Yatnal refused to climb down from his stand. “There is no question of an apology. Let him (Doreswamy) first apologise for his remarks against Modi (prime minister) and Veer Savarkar, then I will do so,” he said, again calling Doreswamy a self-proclaimed freedom fighter.
There was trouble in the legislature right from the word go. The moment both Houses convened, the opposition demanded a debate on Yatnal’s controversial comments. The treasury bench rejected the calls, saying no discussion could be allowed without prior notice. This led to howls of protest in the Houses. While the opposition raised anti-BJP and anti-Yatnal slogans, BJP MLAs shouted pro-Savarkar lines.
Assembly speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri tried to defuse to the situation by saying he would allow a debate once Yediyurappa responded to the governor’s address. He asked for notice from the opposition to raise the Yatnal issue, but to no avail. Even Yediyurappa’s requests had no effect. Siddaramaiah refused to give notice and urged the chair to use its residual powers to act against Yatnal, saying it was a serious matter that needed urgent attention.
Kageri, however, insisted on notice, stating there was no real emergency to invoke residual powers. He called asked the chief minister to begin his statement; Congress and JD(S) again raised objections, gathering in the well and raising slogans.
Yediyurappa read out his statement, which included mentions of his seven-month-old government’s achievements. The House was then adjourned for lunch. During the break, Kageri invited representatives from both sides for a conciliatory meeting, but the impasse continued. When the House met again, the opposition repeated calls for action against Yatnal, forcing Kageri to announce adjourn the proceedings for the day.
In the council, opposition leader SR Patil said the BJP legislator’s comments were an insult to Mahatma Gandhi.
There were fulminations in both Houses. No business could be conducted in the legislative council, which was adjourned. In the assembly, several bills were tabled amid the din. Chief minister BS Yediyurappa also replied to the governor’s address.
Last month, Yatnal had called Doreswamy a fake freedom fighter and an agent of Pakistan, sparking outrage. He refuses to apologise, and BJP has rallied behind him.
“He (Yatnal) has insulted the entire freedom movement by calling Doreswamy a fake freedom fighter. It’s unpardonable. He should apologise or the speaker should strip him of his assembly membership,” Siddaramaiah, leader of opposition, said in the assembly.
Congress and JD(S) have decided to remonstrate again on Tuesday.
“By insulting Doreswamy, Yatnal has showed disrespect to the Constitution. We are not ready to sit with such anti-nationals. The speaker must act against him,” Siddaramaiah tweeted later.
Yatnal refused to climb down from his stand. “There is no question of an apology. Let him (Doreswamy) first apologise for his remarks against Modi (prime minister) and Veer Savarkar, then I will do so,” he said, again calling Doreswamy a self-proclaimed freedom fighter.
There was trouble in the legislature right from the word go. The moment both Houses convened, the opposition demanded a debate on Yatnal’s controversial comments. The treasury bench rejected the calls, saying no discussion could be allowed without prior notice. This led to howls of protest in the Houses. While the opposition raised anti-BJP and anti-Yatnal slogans, BJP MLAs shouted pro-Savarkar lines.
Assembly speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri tried to defuse to the situation by saying he would allow a debate once Yediyurappa responded to the governor’s address. He asked for notice from the opposition to raise the Yatnal issue, but to no avail. Even Yediyurappa’s requests had no effect. Siddaramaiah refused to give notice and urged the chair to use its residual powers to act against Yatnal, saying it was a serious matter that needed urgent attention.
Kageri, however, insisted on notice, stating there was no real emergency to invoke residual powers. He called asked the chief minister to begin his statement; Congress and JD(S) again raised objections, gathering in the well and raising slogans.
Yediyurappa read out his statement, which included mentions of his seven-month-old government’s achievements. The House was then adjourned for lunch. During the break, Kageri invited representatives from both sides for a conciliatory meeting, but the impasse continued. When the House met again, the opposition repeated calls for action against Yatnal, forcing Kageri to announce adjourn the proceedings for the day.
In the council, opposition leader SR Patil said the BJP legislator’s comments were an insult to Mahatma Gandhi.
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