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Karnataka Assembly adopts motion of thanks

Special Correspondent

Opposition members shout slogans against Speaker

BANGALORE: Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday adopted by voice vote and without a discussion the motion of thanks to the Governor for his second address to the joint session of the legislature on February 24 amid protests from the Opposition benches.

The main Opposition party, the Congress, targeted the Speaker, Krishna, for attack for his ruling upholding the validity of the February 24 address and holding the January 19 address "infructuous" because the government that had prepared it went out of office.

Earlier, talks between the Government and the Opposition for the fourth day held in the Speaker's chambers failed to find a way out of the impasse.

As a result of the vote taken on the motion of thanks, only the Assembly has thanked Governor T.N. Chaturvedi for his address. The Legislative Council, where the Congress is in a majority, only discussed the motion on Wednesday without, however, moving a motion of thanks.

At the meeting convened by the Speaker, it is learnt that the Janata Dal (Secular) members who attended were ready to drop the adoption of the motion of thanks, but Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar of the Bharatiya Janata Party rejected the Opposition demand. The Speaker is stated to have expressed helplessness on the issue.

As soon as the House assembled at 12.35 p.m., members of the Congress and the smaller parties staged a dharna in front of the presiding officer and shouted slogans against the Speaker.

The Chair's ruling was biased and unconstitutional, they charged.

Mr. Krishna said, "My ruling is in order and according to the rules of the House."

He appealed to Congress members to occupy their seats and allow the House to go ahead with the proceedings.

Amid the dharna, the former Minister H.S. Mahadeva Prasad (JD-S) and Visveshwara Hegde Kageri (BJP) moved the motion of thanks.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy thanked the Governor for his address, in which he spelt out many programmes for the welfare of farmers and the poor.

Unfortunately, the Congress raised constitutional issues and prevented members from discussing it in detail, he said.

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