Speaker loses cool over anti-RSS slogans in Karnataka Assembly

Anti-RSS slogans, raised by agitating Congress lawmakers, angered Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Monday.

“Why are you unnecessarily dragging the RSS into this? How is the RSS connected? Don’t drag RSS again and again,” Kageri told Congress MLAs who continued their demonstration in the well of the House demanding RDPR Minister K S Eshwarappa’s sacking.

The Congress legislators have been sleeping in the legislature since Thursday last seeking action against Eshwarappa’s controversial statement on saffron possibly replacing the tricolour.

Also Read | Eshwarappa asks Congress to end saffron flag issue

“RSS is a nationalist organisation working to unite Hindus. You should support their activities. Don’t bring RSS into this. If you have political differences, sort them out instead of linking it to the RSS,” Kageri said, before adjourning the Assembly to meet on Tuesday (Kageri is a self-proclaimed swayamsevak of the RSS, the BJP’s ideological parent).

Earlier, the Congress MLAs entered the well as soon as the House met. They raised slogans against the Manu Smriti, RSS, BJP and Eshwarappa - “Puppet of RSS”, “Manuvada Beda, Samvidhana Beku” and “Deshadrohi Eshwarappa”.

JD(S) deputy leader Bandeppa Kashempur asked Kageri to give his party MLAs a chance to speak.

“If Congress has 65 members, we have 31. We have the right to discuss issues concerning people,” he said.

‘Prove it in court’

In the Legislative Council, Law Minister J C Madhuswamy specified that Eshwarappa will not be sacked even as Congress MLCs continued their protest in the Upper House.

The session was adjourned both in the morning and the afternoon as the Council chairperson Basavaraj Horatti found the House to be not in order.

“They can protest however much they want. The government will not dismiss Eshwarappa,” Madhuswamy said.

He alleged that Congress leaders were twisting the minister’s statement to the media according to their convenience. “If you are convinced that he must be booked for sedition, prove it in the court,” he demanded.

BJP MLC Lehar Singh Siroya said Eshwarappa is an emotional person and that his statement was misinterpreted by Congress.

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