The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Motion of thanks adopted sans debate

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Thursday, Jun 26, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Motion of thanks adopted sans debate

Special Correspondent

Opposition terms it ‘murder of democracy’; House adjourned sine die

The session was summoned to discuss the Governor’s address
Speaker adjourns proceedings as Congress continues dharna

BANGALORE: The Legislative Assembly, which witnessed an Opposition dharna on Wednesday too demanding the constitution of a joint House committee to go into the suicides by farmers and the failure of the Government to supply chemical fertilizers, was adjourned sine die after quickly adopting a motion thanking Governor Rameshwar Thakur for his address to the joint session of the State Legislature.

The three-day session was specially summoned to discuss the Governor’s address before adopting a motion to thank him. However, the session ended with only a discussion on the fertilizer shortage issue.

Continuing their dharna in the well of the House, Congress members, led by the Leader of the Opposition M. Mallikarjun Kharge, reiterated their demands forcing Speaker Jagadish Shettar to adjourn proceedings for a while. The Speaker, in an effort to find a solution to the impasse, convened a meeting in his chambers which was attended by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Opposition leaders.

When the House reassembled, Law Minister S. Suresh Kumar said that no purpose would be served by another joint House committee and appealed to the Opposition to cooperate to prevent further sufferings of farmers.

H.D. Revanna and Mr. Kharge wanted the Government to furnish details about the quantity of fertilizer distributed, when the Chief Minister started giving details of the fertilizer supplied and that available with the Government. Further, the Government was reviewing the fertilizer position on a day-to-day basis.

Appealing to the Opposition, Mr. Yeddyurappa reiterated that he was ready to lead an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister to obtain adequate supply of fertilizer. Action would be initiated against black marketing. Those giving information to the Government leading to detection of hoarding would be given a reward of Rs. 10,000, he said.

The Chief Minister said all cases of suicides by farmers would be inquired into by sub-divisional magistrates the same day.

The Speaker’s request to the Opposition to cooperate in taking up other issues failed to yield any response and the resolution thanking the Governor for his address was taken up abruptly much to the chagrin of the Opposition. Amid the din, C.T. Ravi (Bharatiya Janata Party) tabled the resolution and his colleague C.C. Patil seconded it.

The former Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Kharge and Mr. Revanna later told presspersons that it was “a murder of democracy”.

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