Karnataka political crisis rocks Parliament for 2nd day

Political crisis in Karnataka rocked Parliament on Wednesday for yet another day with the Congress members raising the issue in both the Houses and staging protests accusing the BJP of “horse trading and conspiring to topple” the JD(S)-Congress government in the state.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed multiple adjournments as the Congress began creating uproar in the House and protested storming into the Well after the Chair refused to allow the party members speak on the issue during Zero Hour.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, Congress’ Leader of the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused the BJP of resorting to “horse trading” to bring the elected Congress legislators in its fold.

The Congress members stormed into the Well and staged a protest on the floor of the House raising slogans accusing the BJP of “murdering the democracy” before they staged a walk out later from the House in protest. Members of several other Opposition parties including those from the DMK, NCP, and the TMC also joined the Congress in solidarity and staged a walk out.

“Martial law is being applied in Maharashtra. Karnataka Irrigation Minister D K Shivakumar was prevented by Mumbai police from entering the hotel where our MLAs are kept. They (government) are murdering the democracy,” Chowdhury alleged after he was allowed to speak in the House.

The BJP defended the charge with Union Minister Prahlad Joshi saying Shivakumar was prevented from entering the hotel because all the MLAs had sought protection from Mumbai police chief claiming that they had threat to life from Shivakumar.

“All the MLAs have given it in writing to the commissioner, saying that there is a threat to them from D K Shivakumar. That is why they are being given protection,” Joshi told the Lok Sabha.

Joshi had brought up with him copy of the letter that rebel MLAs had written to the Mumbai Police Commissioner.

The House saw acrimonious exchange of words between the Congress members and those from the BJP when Chowdhury raised the issue.

In Rajya Sabha

In Rajya Sabha, Congress member Rajeev Gowda had given a notice for suspension of the Question Hour to discuss political crisis in the Karnataka in Upper House. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, however, rejected the Congress member’s notice.

“This is not the way. The Question Hour is very important. So much money has been spent on this. The entire country is watching us,” the Chairman said, urging the members to allow the House function amid din.

The Congress members in the Upper House were up on their feet soon after the listed papers were laid and obituary reference was made in the morning.