Bengaluru, March 21 (IANS) In a major development, 18 BJP MLAs were suspended for six months from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly with immediate effect, on charges of showing disrespect to the Speaker’s Chair on Friday. The suspension came following the disruption of the proceedings while staging a protest in the Well of the House while demanding a judicial or CBI probe into the alleged honey trap attempt involving Minister for Cooperation, K.N. Rajanna. Speaker U.T. Khader made the announcement regarding the suspension and directed the MLAs to leave the House. However, BJP members gathered in the Well of the House and strongly protested the move.

The suspended members are MLAs Doddanagouda H. Patil, former Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, S.R. Vishwanath, Byrathi Basavaraj, M.R. Patil, Channabasappa, B. Suresh Gowda, Umanath Kotayan, Sharan Salagar, Shailendra Beldal, C.K. Ramamurthy, Yashpal S. Suvarna, Harish B.P., Y. Bharat Shetty, N. Munirathna, Basavaraj Muttimud, Dhiraj Muniraj and Chandru Lamani. The suspended members were literally lifted from the Assembly by the marshals after the House was adjourned, creating a huge furore. The development is likely to trigger a huge controversy in state politics. Earlier, when the House resumed after an adjournment, Speaker U.T. Khader addressed the Assembly, stating, “The incident that took place in the House this morning has pained us all. It is regrettable. This Chair is a reflection of truth and justice. Every member of this House must uphold the sanctity and significance of this Chair. We must be mindful of our words and actions to ensure that the Speaker’s Chair is not disrespected.”

He was referring to the incident that had taken place earlier in the day when the BJP and JD(S) legislators tore copies of the Finance Bill and flung them towards the Speaker’s chair and some members even approached the Speaker’s podium, tore the copies of the Bill, and threw them onto his table. However, at that time Speaker Khader instructed the marshals not to remove Opposition members by force and asked the protesting members to move away, while marshals stood on both sides of his chair. As he continued the proceedings and proposed the Muslim quota Bill for discussion, the Opposition intensified their protest and once again hurled copies of the Bill towards the Speaker’s chair. Later in the day, addressed the Assembly on the morning incident, the Speaker emphasised that no one is above the Chair, and personal emotions should not override its dignity.

“We must conduct ourselves with dignity, commitment, peace, and etiquette. This incident should serve as a lesson for the future. Let us uphold the dignity of the Chair and the Constitution,” Khader noted. “I am conveying a serious message here. If anyone obstructs the Chair and disrupts proceedings in this House, it will not be tolerated,” he added. Following Speaker Khader’s proposal to suspend the MLAs, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil remarked, “The members have tarnished the dignity and honour of this House. They threw books and documents at the Chair. They engaged in hooliganism, which this House will not tolerate. There must be mutual respect and concern for the people. They must respect the Chair — this is the law, and it is our duty. The 18 named MLAs should be barred from entering the Legislative Assembly for six months. I support the proposal.”

Speaker Khader then put the proposal to suspend the 18 MLAs to a vote, as per Section 338 of the Karnataka State Legislature Proceedings. The House approved the proposal with immediate effect. “I request the suspended members to leave the House,” Speaker Khader stated before adjourning the session. Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka called for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s resignation over the suspension, stating that it was a shameful matter. R. Ashoka, claimed there was a conspiracy to remove the sitting Chief Minister of the Congress government. “We are protesting against this. The government should be ashamed. What if the same happens to the ministers sitting here? The honey trap attempt was made against a Congress Minister from the Scheduled Tribe community, and he has no protection,” he stated.

/IANS