Karnataka: BJP MLAs suspended for throwing bills in Deputy Speaker’s face

Ten MLAs of the Opposition BJP were suspended on Wednesday after they tore up copies of the Bills in the Karnataka assembly and hurled them at the Chair, while staging a dharna protesting the assignment of IAS officers on protocol duty for politicians participating in the Congress-led all party meet on Tuesday.

The BJP and JDS members raised a storm as soon as the House met, taking strong objection to the Congress regime drafting senior IAS officers on political duty, something they said had never occurred in the history of Karnataka.

Former CM Basavaraj Bommai read out names of politicians, he said, were neither MLAs nor MPs but the government deputed IAS officers on their protocol duty, throwing all established norms to winds. Former law minister S Suresh Kumar took potshots at the government, saying the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers became INDIA administrative service personnel during the political event in Bengaluru. He also added that the protocol demanded only provision of security arrangements for visiting dignitaries, and nothing beyond that.


The BJP and JDS members sought an apology from the government for its conduct while chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar maintained that the state's gesture was part of the established etiquette.

The Speaker allowed passage of Bills amid the din, without the Opposition members participating in discussions. The Opposition members were furious that the Chair or the government was not making efforts to resolve the impasse and restore order in the House.

The Opposition lawmakers continued their protest after Khader left and Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Lamani took over. The Chair identified 10 BJP lawmakers as those who indulged in unruly conduct by throwing papers at the Chair. Assembly marshals surrounded the deputy speaker to shield him from the row. The assembly was adjourned for the rest of the day.

The Vidhana Soudha police took custody of BJP lawmakers when they staged a dharna in front of the Vidhana Soudha to protest the events in the House.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called the BJP anti-democratic and anti-constitutional over the day’s proceedings. “The party was allowed to protest in a democratic manner, but this is uncivilised behaviour…the BJP MLAs are on fire because the people of the state have warmly welcomed the five Congress guarantees,” he said.

Former CM Basavaraj Bommai slammed what he called the misuse of the Speaker’s chair, saying Khader has become a puppet of the ruling party. “This is a dark day and a massacre of democracy,” he said. The government, he added, was auctioning the dignity of the state. “The officers who attended should have their salaries cut for two days.”

The Chair suspended BJP MLAs Umanath Kotian, VV Kamath, Dheeraj Muniraj, Yashpal Suvarna, Arvind Bellad, Bharath Shetty and former ministers CN Ashwathnarayan, Sunil Kumar, R Ashoka and Araga Jnanendra for rest of the session.

Leaders of 26 political parties had gathered in Bengaluru on Monday and Tuesday for the second opposition parties’ meeting. The BJP is alleging that deputising IAS officers for the event is a violation of All India Services (Conduct) Rules. The issue has sparked a row over social media, with BJP and JDS leaders demanding the Chief Secretary answer to the people for issuing such a controversial order.

Siddaramaiah defended the IAS officers’ assignment, saying the visiting dignitaries were state guests. “Officials were assigned only to welcome all those dignitaries as per etiquette. Apart from this the state government has no role in this programme. This kind of etiquette was observed in all previous governments,” he tweeted on Tuesday.