JOIN USThe Legislature has been chanting the mining mantra. There has been no official business in the Assembly for the past 48 hours following the dharna. The dharna began on Monday evening in the Council. Is holding of dharna the best method to pressure the ruling party to concede to demands? How do the young MLAs feel about it?
When the Deccan Herald interacted with a cross-section of the agitating legislators, a majority of whom have been elected for the first time, said that dharna was the best mode of protest. However, the ruling party members dubbed the dharna as a mere drama for publicity.
Here are a few comments
I do not see any merit in the mode of protest adopted by the Opposition.
In my view the Congress is staging overnight dharna only to cover up the charges levelled on the party with regard to misuse of funds meant for flood-hit victims.
G Madhusudan, BJP
Holding dharna is a sheer waste of valuable time and resources. The Opposition is staging a protest over a dead issue. There is no meaning in staging a dharna as the Lokayukta declared to withdraw his resignation.
Mohan Limbekai, BJP
This mode of protest was inevitable as the BJP was adamant about its stance. Neither the Lokayukta nor the CID will be able to conduct a comprehensive probe into the illegal mining issue. Hence, the only remaining option is to go to the CBI.
Allama Prabhu Patil, Cong
This is a new experience for me. We need to register our protest when the session is on. We cannot resort to other forms of protest outside the Vidhana Soudha premises.
Srinivas Mane, Cong
Leaders of our party decided to stage dharna in the House after the chief minister refused to budge from his stand on the issue.
Priya Krishna, Cong
An overnight dharna can really influence the ruling party to change its stand. Interestingly, many MLAs of the ruling party are also happy with our mode of protest. They want a detailed probe into illegal mining, so that the accused in all parties are punished.
U T Khadar, Cong