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Unprecedented chaos in Karnataka Assembly

Karnataka Bureau

Congress members prevent Speaker from conducting proceedings

Bangalore: Amidst chaos that marked the proceedings in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, a section of Congress members threatened the Chair and attempted to forcibly remove the microphone and the bell on the Speaker's table. It is for the first time in recent history that such an incident has taken place on the floor of the Legislative Assembly although walkouts and dharnas are a common feature.

Speaker Krishna has abstained from the House for the past five days since the Congress served a no-confidence notice against him two weeks ago. Interestingly, the no-confidence motion sought to be moved by the Congress was rejected since the members of the party have been up in arms against the Government and have been staging dharna for the last five days. Deputy Speaker N.Y. Gopalakrishna, who was in the Chair, called upon the Congress to move the motion and with the latter staging a protest , the Deputy Speaker gave his ruling. Thereafter, the Congress members, who have been staging a dharna demanding election to the post of the Chairman of the Legislative Council turned restive when the House reassembled after a break. The Opposition members were primarily upset that the Deputy Speaker was conducting the proceedings even though a dharna was being staged in the well of the house.

The Congress members laid siege to the Speaker's chair and prevented panel Speaker Araga Jnanendra from conducting the proceedings. Unmindful of the obstructions, Mr. Jnanendra asked Primary Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti to move the Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Teachers) Bill and this led to a sudden outburst of anger.

The Opposition members, led by former ministers D.K. Shiva Kumar, Tanvir Sait and others, climbed onto the Speaker's podium, brushing aside the security personnel, and asked Mr. Jnanendra to retreat. Thereafter, attempts were made to remove the fixed microphone and the bell even as Mr. Jnanendra adjourned the House and beat a hasty retreat sensing the mood of the legislators.

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