Unparliamentary word causes flutter in Assembly

BJP MLA Nehru Olekar’s use of unparliamentary word against a JD(S) MLA in the Assembly on Wednesday was a moment of great embarrassment for the ruling BJP.

The situation was accentuated with the MLA justifying his remark. Finally, he had to tender an apology.

Poor allocation of funds for maintenance of places of worship under the ‘Aaradhana Scheme’ led to heated discussions.

The Opposition members demanded that Muzrai Minister V S Acharya either sanction more funds or scrap the scheme.

When the JD(S) members joined others and expressed their displeasure over disparity in allocation of funds among temples, Olekar - BJP MLA from Haveri - used an unparliamentary word against JD(S) MLA S R Mahesh.

Mahesh and his colleagues trooped into the well of the House and staged a dharna demanding that Olekar tender an apology. The Congress members supported their JD(S) counterparts.

While BJP members found themselves in an embarrassing situation, Deputy Speaker N Yogish Bhat, who was in the Chair, warned Olekar and directed the members to exercise restraint.

The Deputy Speaker further directed to expunge the unparliamentary word from the records.

Despite protests demanding that he tender an apology, the BJP MLA refused to give in.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Suresh Kumar, said use of such words did not conform to the propriety of the House.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, Jagadish Shettar, said that he (Olekar) used such a word as he was overcome with emotion.

“In our region (North Karnataka), we use much stronger words,” he said.

When Olekar refused to budge, the Speaker once again directed him to tender an apology.

Finally, the protest was withdrawn after the BJP MLA tendered his apology.

Even as the furore over the use of an unparliamentary word was coming to an end, it was the turn of BJP MLA Shankarlinge Gowda.

Gowda - who had dubbed Medical Education Minister S A Ramdas a ‘dictator’ on Tuesday - targeted  Primary and Secondary Education Minister Visveshwara Hegde Kageri on Wednesday.

Gowda called the education minister “irresponsible” and “arrogant” for seeking a month’s time to answer his query on details of government schools with less than five and 10 students.

A word used by Gowda too was expunged by the Speaker.

The Speaker directed the minister to answer Gowda’s query before the conclusion of the session.