18 BJP MLAs urge Speaker U T Khader to withdraw their suspension from Karnataka Assembly

Bengaluru: The 18 BJP MLAs on Wednesday claimed that Speaker U T Khader's decision to suspend them from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly for six months is a "violation of rules" and "not in accordance with law", as they urged him to reconsider and withdraw their suspension.

Pointing out that MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly were suspended in a similar fashion—a move the Supreme Court ruled "irrational and illogical", the MLAs said they would petition the Speaker to reconsider and withdraw the suspension using the powers vested in him, instead of approaching the court.

In an unprecedented move, 18 BJP MLAs were suspended on March 21 for six months for "indiscipline" and "disrespecting" the Speaker. They were forcefully evicted from the House by marshals after refusing to leave.

"We discussed the Speaker's decision to suspend 18 BJP MLAs from the Assembly and how to resolve this issue. We have been suspended under Rule 348 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, which allows naming and warning a member, or suspending them for a day, or up to the end of the ongoing session," BJP MLA C N Ashwath Narayan said.

Speaking to reporters, flanked by other MLAs, he said, "Suspending MLAs for six months violates the rules and is not in accordance with law, as Rule 348 does not permit it." Referring to a similar case in Maharashtra, Narayan—former Deputy Chief Minister—said that under Rule 53 of the Maharashtra Assembly, 12 MLAs were suspended for a year, despite the rule allowing suspension only till the end of the session.

The legislators appealed in the Supreme Court, which termed the suspension “irrational and illogical,” and it was subsequently withdrawn.

He added that Maharashtra’s Rule 53 is the same as Karnataka’s Rule 348.

Urging Speaker Khader to reconsider and withdraw the suspension, Narayan said, “We could have approached the court and got the suspension quashed, but we chose not to, as we believe what happens in the House should be resolved in the House.”

“When the Speaker has the power to withdraw the suspension, we felt we should urge him to do so rather than seek legal remedy,” he added.

The incident that led to the suspension occurred on the last day of the Assembly's budget session, after BJP MLAs staged a massive protest.

They opposed the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts and demanded a judicial probe into the alleged "honey-trap" attempt involving Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna.

During the protest, some BJP MLAs climbed onto the Speaker's podium and surrounded his chair, while others, protesting from the well of the House, hurled papers at him. Marshals had to forcibly remove them.

Calling the suspension unlawful, Narayan said they had not caused physical harm or acted inappropriately toward the Speaker.

"We respect the Chair and the Speaker. It was our duty as MLAs to protest. In a democracy, everyone has the right to protest—something the Speaker himself has acknowledged. His decision to suspend us for six months came as a surprise. It is clear the government pressured him into it," he said.

Noting that most of the suspended legislators are first-time MLAs, Narayan said the six-month suspension is too harsh and unacceptable.

"The Speaker has the power to reconsider under Rule 363, and he should withdraw the suspension. We have not committed an unpardonable mistake," he said.

He said a memorandum would be submitted to the Speaker urging him to reconsider and withdraw the suspension as per the rule.

The Malleshwaram MLA expressed confidence that the Speaker would respond positively.

Alleging that a Minister had assaulted a BJP member in the well of the House using a headphone and by throwing a book, Narayan asked, "Why was the Minister not suspended? Such injustice has taken place, and the Speaker should now correct it and uphold the rights of members, which is his duty."

The suspended MLAs are BJP chief whip Doddanagouda Patil, former Deputy CM C N Ashwath Narayan, S R Vishwanath, B A Basavaraju, M R Patil, Channabasappa, B Suresh Gowda, Umanath Kotyan, Sharanu Salagar, Dr Shailendra Beldale, C K Ramamurthy, Yashpal Suvarna, B P Harish, Bharath Shetty, Dheeraj Muniraju, Chandru Lamani, Muniratna, and Basavaraj Mattimud.