The State Budget session proceedings in both the Legislative Assembly and Council were disrupted on Wednesday amid ruckus and protests by the Opposition over deputing 30 IAS officers to receive political leaders who attended a meeting of Opposition parties in Bengaluru held on July 17 and 18.
The House plunged into chaos with unruly scenes and sloganeering after BJP members tore the papers and Bills and tossed them at Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Lamani who was in the Chair.
The unruly scenes occurred when BJP members were staging a dharna in the well of the House seeking an apology from the State government for deputing IAS officers as liaison officers for political leaders of other States during the second conclave of the Opposition parties.
The protest went out of control when Speaker U.T. Khader said there would be no adjournment of the House for lunch and members can have lunch whenever they wanted. BJP members then intensified their protest and sloganeering. When Mr. Lamani occupied the chair and started conducting the proceedings, several BJP members began tearing papers and throwing them at the Chair.
Earlier, as soon as the House met for the day, BJP members raised the issue of deputing IAS officers for the ‘United We Stand’ meeting. They said it was blatant misuse of government machinery for political purpose by the Congress government.
Though Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil defended the government’s decision to depute IAS officers for receiving Chief Ministers and Ministers of other States on the grounds of protocol, BJP members trooped into the well of the House in protest.
The Speaker adjourned the House for a few minutes and held a meeting with floor leaders to arrive at a consensus on the matter.
When the House met again, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended deputing IAS officers and said the H.D. Kumaraswamy-led government in 2018 deputed the officers for inviting leaders from other States during the oath-taking ceremony. This angered JD (S) members and they too joined the protest.
As BJP members continued the protest and amid disruption, the Speaker allowed Home Minister G. Parameshwara and Mr. Siddaramaiah to make separate statements. Mr. Khader allowed five Bills to be passed amidst protest and chaos.
“There will not be a lunch break. The House will continue. Members will now speak on the Budget. Members who want lunch can eat and come back,” Mr. Khader said, asking Mr. Lamani to conduct the proceedings. It was at this point that BJP members tore papers and tossed them at Mr. Lamani.
Marshalls were summoned to guard Mr. Lamani, but pieces of papers kept flying towards him. Mr. Lamani ordered the Marshalls to send the BJP MLAs out and said the behaviour of members was not as per the Parliamentary procedure. He was forced to adjourn the House again.
Later, BJP leaders submitted a notice to the Assembly Secretary seeking permission to move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker.
The Council too ended with pandemonium after Opposition members wanted to raise the IAS officers’ issue. Deputy Speaker M.K. Pranesh did not permit it to be taken up as discussion on Budget was underway.
