Om Birla seeks probe into Dharme Gowda death

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday sought a high-level independent inquiry in to the circumstances surrounding the death of S.L. Dharme Gowda, deputy chairperson of the Karnataka Legislative Council.

Taking to Twitter, Mr. Birla said he was “anguished at the sad news of demise of Deputy Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council, Shri S.L. Dharmegowda. My condolences to his family. The unfortunate incident in the House, when he was in Chair, is a serious attack on democracy. It is necessary to have a high level probe through an independent agency into his death. It is duty of all of us to safeguard the prestige of legislative bodies and dignity and freedom of Presiding officers.”

Dharme Gowda, 65, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on railway track at Gunasagar, Chikmagalur, on early Tuesday morning. A note on his personal indicated suicide, according to the police.

Dharme Gowda, a Janata Dal (S) legislator, hit the headlines early last month when he was heckled and manhandled by other members after he occupied the presiding officer’s chair, ostensibly to take up a no-confidence motion against the House chairperson.

Mr. Birla used strong words in his statement, including that it was a “serious attack on democracy.”