Pandemonium rocks Karnataka Assembly as Congress, BJP engage in verbal duel

Bengaluru: Pandemonium rocked the Assembly on Wednesday as the ruling Congress and BJP legislators indulged in an intense, personal face-off that started during a discussion on the shortage of urea fertilisers.

BJP leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Arvind Bellad attacked the government and stated that the Union government had provided 9.70 lakh metric tonne of urea to Karnataka against the state’s requirement of 7.60 lakh metric tonne.

Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayswamy objected to these figures. When Malleswaram MLA CN Ashwath Narayan got up, he said: “If Ashwath Narayan gets up, it’s a lie.”  

Narayan retorted, saying: “We know who lies.” At this juncture, Congress MLAs K M Shivalinge Gowda and P M Narendraswamy also attacked the BJP, while BJP legislators hit back.

The atmosphere heated up when Energy Minister K J George stood up and Ashwath Narayan told him that he was an “unfit” minister and spoke to George in the singular.

Narayan and George have had a feud since the last session, where the Malleswaram MLA had levelled charges of a “smart meters scam” against George and his department.

At this point, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar got enraged and hit back at Ashwath Narayan.

Defending George as a senior leader from the minority community, Shivakumar also hit back at Narayan in the singular. 

The deputy chief minister said: “You are the ‘father of corruption’. You couldn’t win a single seat in Ramanagar (Bengaluru South), but you are insulting our leader from the minority community.”

When the fight reached a crescendo, Speaker U T Khader adjourned the House for a few minutes. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka huddled with the Speaker.

When the session resumed, Khader reminded the House that MLAs should remember their responsibilities and introspect. Shivakumar said his self-respect had been hurt as his senior George was attacked in his presence. 

“Even we have hot blood. My words, my rage may be wrong, but even I am a human being,” the DCM said. Ashoka said personal attacks should not happen in the Assembly.