Karnataka   

Speaker rejects Congress motion In the legislature

BANGALORE: Legislative Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar on Wednesday rejected the Congress members notice to discuss a case related to the suicide of Padmapriya, wife of M. Raghupathi Bhat, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA, under an adjournment motion on the ground that the case is pending before the court.

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, who moved the adjournment motion on the mysterious circumstances in which Padmapriya committed suicide, was allowed by the Speaker to make a preliminary submission to convince him about the urgency in permitting a discussion, on Tuesday.

Mr. Shettar, who citied various parliamentary documents, on Wednesday rejected the motion and said members could speak on the subject under Rule 69 of the House.

He cited Subhash Kashyap’s work and said “it relates to the matter which is sub-judice.”

Mr. Kharge has demanded that the Government hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. But the Government objected to it, saying that the case was before the court and therefore the matter was sub judice. In the Legislative Council, Opposition members demanded the resignation of Home Minister V.S. Acharya over the alleged failure of State police in tracing Padmapriya Bhat before she committed suicide in Delhi.

Initiating the debate over the issue, Congress member Pratap Chandra Shetty said the State police cannot do justice to the investigation as long as Dr. Acharya was Home Minister.

The Congress withdrew the dharna in the Council during the post-lunch hours after Leader of the House V. S. Acharya assured the House that he would consult Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa over the Congress’ “steadfast demand” for a CBI probe into the death of Padmapriya.

Although Dr. Acharya promised the Congress that the Government would order a CoD inquiry into the issue, the Congress insisted on a CBI probe.

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