K'taka Assembly deadlock over Cong workers’ appointment continues; BJP disrupts proceedings

Bengaluru, March 12 (IANS) The deadlock between the Congress-led government and the Opposition BJP and JD(S) continued in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.  

BJP and JD(S) MLAs rushed into the Well of the House as soon as the session began, raising slogans against the government over the appointment of Congress workers to the Guarantees Implementation Committee.

Speaker U.T. Khader, addressing the House, stated, “I request both the ruling party and the Opposition to resolve the deadlock in the House. Every crisis has a solution, and this one does too.”

Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, stated that he wanted the session to run smoothly but insisted that the Karnataka government address the issue at hand.

BJP MLA and General Secretary, V. Sunil Kumar, maintained that the government should deduct the salaries given to Congress workers from the payments made to Tehsildars and other government staff, who are officially appointed to carry out the same work being done by the party’s workers.

Congress MLAs countered that the BJP and JD(S) were opposing the guarantees.

Speaker Khader then adjourned the House till 1.45 p.m.

Meanwhile, Opposition legislators staged a protest in front of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s statue on the premises of Vidhana Soudha.

The MLAs held placards with slogans such as "Taxpayers’ money eaten by Congress workers," "Shame on the Congress government for misusing public funds in the name of guarantees," and "Only consolation for people, reward for Congress workers."

BJP state President and MLA, B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, JD(S) Floor Leader C.B. Suresh Babu, and others took part in the protest.

Speaking to the media after the protest, Vijayendra accused the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government of misusing taxpayers’ money by issuing salaries to Congress party workers.

He stated they had raised this matter in the state Assembly on Tuesday. “Hence, we are staging a protest and will also meet the Governor over the issue,” he said.

He further alleged that wherever Congress leaders had lost elections, their sons were being appointed as presidents of the Guarantee Implementation Committees and were even calling meetings with officers.

“This unconstitutional move is being challenged in the Karnataka High Court,” Vijayendra stated.

“There are deputy commissioners at the district level to implement government programmes. Does the Congress party need defeated candidates and their sons to implement the guarantee schemes? This is why the BJP and JD(S) are protesting,” he added.