‘Murder of democracy’, Siddaramaiah slams BJP, JDS

BENGALURU: Terming Tuesday’s fracas in the Legislative Council “criminal” and the “murder of democracy”, former Chief Minister and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah launched a scathing attack on the ruling BJP and one-time ally JDS for what he termed “unbecoming official conduct”. Siddaramaiah alleged that Council Chairman Prathap Chandra Shetty was forcibly locked up in his office and prevented from entering the House, and when he sought to enter, the BJP and JDS got the Deputy Chairman to occupy the seat and take control of the House. “It is a black day for Karnataka, this is thorough goondaism and Narendra Modi’s version of democracy,” he said. 

There are procedures and rules to run the House constitutionally, and Law Minister Madhu Swamy and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa should explain to the people if BJP legislators’ conduct was in keeping with House decorum, Siddaramaiah said.It is only when the Chairman is travelling, indisposed or unable to chair the House that he can authorise his deputy to occupy his place, he said, quoting from the Book of Rules of Procedure. 

“BJP MLCs gave notice to move a no-confidence against the Chairman, but under the rules, it should have been moved 14 days earlier. Since the notice was not in order, the Chairman rejected it, and it did not figure in the Council agenda. After it is put on the agenda, 10 members can propose it in the House, and the Chairman can allot a day for the issue. Was this procedure followed? Instead, the BJP decided the agenda and illegally placed the Deputy Chairman in the seat. Is this a banana republic?” he questioned.

The parliamentary affairs secretary writing to the Chairman directly to conduct the House is itself illegal, he claimed. “Rules mandate that the Chairman ascertains there is quorum to run the House and then informs the staff to stop ringing the bell, and occupies his seat. But Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan personally got the Deputy Chairman to occupy the Chairman’s seat and Law Minister Madhu Swamy threatened the marshals in the House. Both these ministers encouraged acts of goondaism,” Siddaramaiah alleged. 

It was a conspiracy planned by the BJP and JDS, which has exposed the secret agreement between the two parties, and they must seek public pardon. I have faith that the Governor will take appropriate and impartial action, he added.