Huge uproar in Karnataka Legislative Assembly on the last day of budget session
On Friday, March 21, there was a tremendous uproar in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, when the Congress government passed a bill giving 4% reservation to Muslim contractors. The decision was strongly opposed by the BJP MLAs and declared it to be challenged in the court, calling it a ‘unconstitutional’.
Opposition’s dramatic performance, a copy of the bill tore
In protest against the bill, BJP MLAs entered the well and started shouting slogans against the government. During the protest, copies of the bill were torn and raised towards Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Assembly Speaker UT Khadar. During this time there was a sharp debate between the ruling party and the opposition, but the bill was passed amid the uproar.
18 BJP MLA suspended, marshals evacuated from House
Chairman UT Khadar suspended 18 BJP MLAs for six months on charges of indiscipline and disrespectful conduct in the House. Suspended legislators were forcibly out of the House by marshals. These MLAs have been prevented from entering the assembly hall, lobby and gallery, participating in committee meetings and discussing any issue.
List of suspended MLAs
Among the suspended MLAs, the chief whip of the opposition Dodangowda H Patil, Ashwath Narayan CN, SR Vishwanath, BA Basavaraj, MR Patil, Channabasappa (Channi), B Suresh Gowda, Umanath A. Kotyan, Sharanu Salgar, Shailendra Beldale, CK Ramamurthy, Yashpal A. Suvarna, BP Harishna, Basavaraj Mattimood, Dheeraj Muniraju and Chandru Lamani are included.
What is in the bill?
According to the new law, Muslim contractors will get 4% reservation in government contracts up to Rs 2 crore and government contracts up to Rs 1 crore. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described it as a step taken towards social justice and economic empowerment of minorities.
BJP’s charge – ‘Politics of appeasement’
The BJP has called this decision ‘openly appeasement politics’. Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra Yeddyurappa said that it is discriminated against Hindu contractors and will be challenged in court. The BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) also created a ruckus in the House on another issue and demanded a judicial inquiry into the ‘Honey Trap’ case on the government.
