Why such hatred against Lingayats & Vokkaligas? Yatnal questions Karnataka govt

Belagavi: Chaos reigned in the Assembly on Thursday as comments by BJP’s Bijapur MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal disrupted the proceedings.

Speaking about the police action on protesting Panchamasali community members on Tuesday, Yatnal said: “Today, the chief minister told the Council that '2A' reservation cannot be provided to Panchamasali Lingayats as per the Constitution. Is there a provision to provide 4% reservation (to Muslims) in the Constitution? Why such hatred towards Lingayats and Vokkaligas?”

Going a step further, Yatnal said: “A former PM said Muslims have the first right over India. What happens to Hindus then,” in a reference to an old speech by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, in which he had spoken about programmes for the upliftment of SC/STs, other backward classes, minorities and women and children.

This led to an altercation as Labour Minister Santosh Lad lashed out at Yatnal. Lad was joined by his Congress colleagues.

Soon after, Yatnal said: The HM should conduct a transparent enquiry, even if the culprit is a top officer. Otherwise, this will be a bad precedent.

“A senior police officer wielding the lathi at will. This government is there now and might protect (him). But we may come to power next time. We will stop his promotion. Our government is there in Delhi, we will write to Amit Shah.”

This again led to a sharp retort as Congress lawmakers accused Yatnal of threatening a police officer.