Chaos in assembly over BJP MLA gazing at Priyanka Gandhi's picture

BELAGAVI: Karnataka Assembly was today adjourned briefly amid chaos over a BJP MLA watching a zoomed in picture of Priyanka Gandhi on his mobile phone during House proceedings.

As the House assembled, slogan shouting Congress members rushed to the front row of seats, demanding strict action against Prabhu Chavan for the "indecent act" yesterday.

The members said Chavan's "unacceptable" conduct had hurt the dignity of their leader and demanded action against him.

Chavan was caught on TV camera watching a zoomed in photo of Priyanka Gandhi on his mobile phone and another BJP MLA U B Banakar was found playing video games, oblivious of the discussion about the plight of sugarcane growers to whom sugar mill owners owe huge arrears.

In the video footage, Chavan was also seen watching images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi along with Sonia Gandhi.

As the incident left the BJP red-faced, he had later said he zoomed in the picture of Priyanka Gandhi only to read a slogan below but admitted that it was a "mistake" to have taken the mobile phone inside the House.

Raising the issue, Law and Parliamentary Minister T B Jayachandra demanded action against Chavan and sought a permanent solution to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

The Minister said the incident has not only tarnished the image of the two legislators, but also that of the legislature.

Referring to the earlier incident during BJP's rule when Laxman Savadi and C C Patil, then ministers, were caught on TV camera watching pornography on their mobiles, he said a report has been submitted but no action had been taken.