Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla calls for probe into Dharme Gowda's death

'It is the duty of all of us to safeguard the prestige of legislative bodies and dignity and freedom of presiding officers,' says the Lok Sabha Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday called for a high-level probe through an independent agency into the death of Deputy Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council S L Dharme Gowda.

“The unfortunate incident in the House, when he was in Chair, is a serious attack on democracy. It is necessary to have a high-level probe through an independent agency into his death,” Birla said, expressing anguish over the death of Dharme Gowda.

“It is the duty of all of us to safeguard the prestige of legislative bodies and dignity and freedom of Presiding officers,” the Lok Sabha Speaker said.

The Speaker also expressed condolences to the family of the departed leader.

Dharme Gowda was found dead on railway tracks near his hometown of Gunasagara in Chickmaglur district on Tuesday morning.

Dharme Gowda, a JD(S) legislator, was in news recently after opposition Congress members had pushed him off the chair of the presiding officer in the Legislative Council in the ruckus over the no-confidence motion against the Chairman.