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Tuesday, Jan 11, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Opposition unrelenting on adjournment motion

Special Correspondent

Assembly, Council adjourned for the day on the issue

BJP adopting double standards on corruption, says Jayachandra
There is no justification for the Opposition demand: Suresh Kumar

Bangalore: The Opposition in both Houses of the State legislature on Monday demanded that they be allowed to move an adjournment motion with respect to the alleged corruption, including the recent land scams and the loss to the State exchequer due to illegal mining.

In the Assembly, this led to heated exchanges between the ruling and the Opposition members.

The Opposition members trooped into the well of the House and staged a dharna following Speaker K.G. Bopaiah's ruling to reject the demand for allowing a debate under the adjournment motion.

The Speaker adjourned the House for a day after a brief adjournment did not yield any result.

‘Misuse of power'

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, T.B. Jayachandra, Appaji Nadagouda of the Congress and H. D. Revanna of the Janata Dal (Secuar) justified their demand for a discussion under the adjournment motion alleging that corruption was rampant in the State and that there was misuse of power by the Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

The Opposition demanded Mr. Yeddyurappa's resignation owning moral responsibility for the land scams.

Poll plank

The BJP had made corruption as its major poll plank at the national level.

But the same BJP Government here was hesitating to hold a discussion on corruption here, Mr. Jayachandra pointed out.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs S. Suresh Kumar, who was against the Opposition's firm stance on the adjournment motion, said that there was no justification for the demand and the notice given by the Opposition included too many issues.

The adjournment motion could be allowed only in the case of a matter of urgency that had public importance, he noted.

The Government was ready for the discussion of any issues of corruption or the land scams.

But it was improper to hold such discussions under the adjournment motion, he said.

In Council

The Legislative Council too had to be adjourned for a day as the Opposition members commenced a dharna demanding that they should be allowed to make preliminary submission on the adjournment motion sought to be moved by them against the Government.

This resulted in a stalemate as the Opposition wanted the adjournment motion to be taken up on priority even as Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy ruled that the listed business of the House had to be first completed before examining the Opposition's request.

As soon as the House assembled, leader of the Opposition Motamma requested Mr. Shankaramurthy to permit the Opposition to make preliminary submissions on the admissibility of the adjournment motion.

Listed business

Even as Mr. Shankaramurthy was about to respond, Leader of the House and Minister for Higher Education V.S. Acharya intervened to emphasise that the House should first take up the listed business — which was the Question Hour.

Noisy scenes

But the entire Opposition demanded that adjournment motion should be taken up on priority as it pertained to an important issue of utmost public interest.

This created noisy scenes in the House with exchange of heated words between the ruling and the Opposition members.

The Opposition members trooped into the well of the House and resorted to dharna in support of their demand.

The Chairman finally adjourned the House for a day as the stalemate did not end.

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