Karnataka ex-CM says acts of BJP, JD(S) in Legislative Council unconstitutional

Opposition Leader Siddaramaiah on Friday slammed the BJP and the JD(S) saying while he does not defend what Congress MLCs did in the Legislative Council on December 15, the acts of the BJP ministers and MLCs of both BJP and JD(S) were both a crime and also unconstitutional.

Speaking to media persons, here, on Friday, he said, the blocking of the entry of the Chairman, Pratapchandra Shetty, into the Council when he was present, was unconstitutional.

“The Deputy Chairman, S L Dharmegowda or whoever, is only a deputy to the chairman. The Deputy Chairman can preside over the proceedings of the Council, only when the Chairman delegates the responsibility. After the Chairman occupied his seat, the opposing MLCs could have told him that they do not have faith in him,” he said.

“There is a procedure to change the chairman. A notice should be served 14 days in advance. Even then, if the Chairman feels that the notice is not either proper or in order, he could reject it. The chairman does not lose authority as soon as a notice is served,” Siddaramaiah said.

“The BJP is good at telling lies. How can the blocking of the entry to the Council and an attempt by Minister J C Madhu Swamy to attack a marshal be described? How can the encroachment of the Chairman’s seat by the Deputy Chairman described? What rights do they have? Who are the villains?” he asked.

To a query on the rumours about former minister C M Ibrahim joining the JD(S), he said, Ibrahim will not go to the JD(S).

On plans to start schools, under the Vidyagama scheme, from January, Siddaramaiah said, academic activities can be started by maintaining social distance and wearing masks, if there is no second wave of Covid-19.