Former Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly K.R. Ramesh Kumar has said that his resignation as the presiding officer of the Lower House during the day was the most befitting tribute that he could pay to former Union minister S. Jaipal Reddy who died on Sunday.
Mr. Ramesh Kumar who flew in here to attend the funeral of Mr. Jaipal Reddy straight after submitting his resignation told media persons that he was free of all shackles after putting in his papers. He said he felt liberated.
The former Speaker broke down as became one of the pallbearers of Mr. Jaipal Reddy along with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah around a platform at the cremation site. Both of them and a Congress MLA Naseer Ahmed and former Minister Jaiprakash Hegde arrived from Bengaluru minutes before the last rites commenced near P.V. Ghat on the banks of Hussainsagar.
On his resignation, Mr. Ramesh Kumar said he felt he should not sit in the Speaker’s chair for a moment after fulfilling his Constitutional responsibility.
Asked whether the BJP government would have removed him if he had not tendered his resignation, the former Speaker said he was not interested whether the government wanted him or not. “I fulfilled my Constitutional duty, put in my papers, thanked the Assembly and came out.” He said the 17 rebel MLAs in Karnataka, who he had disqualified were free to go to court as it was their fundamental right. The people of the State were disillusioned with the rebels. They will punish them.
On his association with Jaipal Reddy, he said the late Congress leader was like his elder brother and always treated him as his family member. Jaipal Reddy might have left him but they were bound morally which made him more courageous to face further onslaught.
He also said he wanted to end the imbroglio in Karnataka Assembly and meet Jaipal Reddy here to explain the role that he had played. But, God did not give him the opportunity. He described Jaipal Reddy as a man of values who strove for clean politics till the end.
