Karnataka Assembly was adjourned for the day on Monday without transacting any business as the ruling BJP and opposition members were locked in a slanging match over the Bharat bandh.
As the House met, BJP members holding placards raised anti-UPA slogans for hiking fuel prices, while the opposition countered it seeking to highlight the alleged mining scam in the State.
Speaker K. G. Bopaiah repeatedly appealed to the ruling party members not to disrupt the proceedings, reminding them that the Assembly was not a “political platform” and their conduct was not proper.
With BJP members refusing to yield, the Chair adjourned the House for half-an-hour. The situation was no different when the House re-assembled as BJP members shouted “Down, Down UPA” and “UPA shame, shame“.
Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah (Congress) appealed to the Speaker to name protesting members and evict them, describing their protest as being “disrespectful” to the Assembly.
The Speaker’s repeated appeals again fell on deaf ears, leading to Mr. Bopaiah adjourning the House for the day.
Later, speaking to reporters, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the support to the bandh given by the BJP Government was against the rulings of Supreme Court which held that no party should support such strikes.
“It’s highly condemnable”, he said, accusing the government of disrupting the House in an attempt to “hush up” the alleged mining scam.
