Dramatic scenes unfolded in the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday, when the Chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty was prevented from entering the House to start a one-day special session convened over the anti-cow slaughter bill. He later entered the House and adjourned it sine die within a minute.
Earlier, as the bell rang to get the Council in order for the session to start, deputy chairperson SL Dharme Gowda occupied the Chairman’s seat, while Shetty was locked outside the House.
The move led to a huge uproar with the Opposition Congress walking up to the chair and demanding that Gowda be removed. Gowda had taken over the conduct of proceedings without the Chairman’s orders — unprecedented in the history of legislature proceedings.
The ruling BJP has been pressing for discussion and vote on a no-confidence motion against the Chairman. The JDS, which is in the Opposition, had said it would support the BJP in ousting the Chairman.
The BJP, with 31 members, is the single-largest party in the Council followed closely by the Congress, with 29 members. The JDS, with 14 MLCs, thus, becomes a deciding factor in most votes as their support is needed to win or defeat any motion.
Shetty had, last week, set aside the no-trust motion on the grounds that it was improper.
The BJP had then sought a one day session, which Shetty had complied with but before he could occupy his chair on Tuesday, the door was closed for his entry. Angered by Gowda’s move, the leading Congress MLCs gheraoed the chair and forcefully pulled down the deptuy chairperson.
The door was opened to let Shetty in, who came in only to adjourn the House sine die (indefinitely). After he left, a BJP MLC also tried to sit in the chair meant for the chairperson, but was prevented from doing so by the marshalls.
BJP and JDS have submitted a joint memorandum to the governor, asking that the Council session be re-convened to decide on the no-confidence motion.
“We are moving to the governor, to seek his advice. We will explain to him what has happened, what date we served notice. What the duty of Chairman was. Where he has failed. Whatever advice he gives, we will abide by it,” said Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy.
Senior JDS MLC Basavaraj Horatti said, in the 41 years he has been in the House, he “never saw such shameful scenes.”
While JDS and BJP said the Chairman had no moral right to sit and preside over the House, the Congress said preventing the Chairman’s entry and installing the deputy in the chair were pre-planned.
“The issue of no confidence motion was already closed last week, on 10th. Endorsement had been given that no substantial evidence to back the no confidence was given. So it was rejected. It’s closed. The BJP colluded with JDS and brought deputy chairman to the chair, ” Said senior Congress MLC KC Kondaiah.
The Congress argues that when the no trust vote was already disposed of, a fresh one can be brought in only with 14 days notice.
BJP MLC Shashil Namoshi had only this to say, “As of now the chairman does not enjoy the confidence of the House . We are confident he has to come down.”
The anti-cow slaughter Bill which was on the agenda to be discussed, never got tabled In the melee as the House met officially for only a few minutes.
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