K'taka BJP urges Governor to revoke suspension of 18 party MLAs

Bengaluru, April 28 (IANS) Karnataka BJP made a submission to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Monday urging revocation of the suspension order of 18 party MLAs and directions to Speaker U.T. Khader in this regard. 

The BJP in its submission urged the Governor to use his good offices to direct the Speaker, Karnataka Legislative Assembly to reconsider the suspension order imposed on 18 MLAs belonging to the principal Opposition party in the state.

The suspension of the BJP MLAs took place after they repeatedly created a ruckus leading to multiple adjournments of the House and even tore up copies of Bills in the Karnataka Assembly and hurled them at the Speaker's Chair.

Monday's delegation was headed by Leader of Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka and the BJP state President and MLA, B.Y. Vijayendra.

LoP Ashoka stated, “I humbly request that the suspension must be revoked, thereby enabling the concerned legislators to resume their responsibilities as representatives of the people. And to take all necessary steps to uphold the basic tenet of democratic values in the state of Karnataka.”

Vijayendra has appealed that the Speaker should not act as a 'puppet' of the ruling party.

Speaking to the media on the occasion, Vijayendra stated that in the matter of suspending 18 BJP MLAs for six months, a move contrary to the Constitution had been adopted, and insisted that the Speaker should not support this.

He urged that the Speaker should reconsider his decision after convincing the ruling party. He explained that they had met the Governor and requested him to intervene in the matter and advise the government accordingly.

Vijayendra also pointed out that the suspension of 18 BJP MLAs took place during the recent Assembly session. Despite repeated appeals by the LoP and other BJP MLAs to the Speaker, the suspension was not revoked, he said.

He further drew attention to the fact that the Speaker, during a statement made in Mangaluru, had claimed that the decision to suspend the 18 MLAs was not made solely by him.

The submission further stated, “We write this letter with utmost respect and deference regarding the suspension order dated March 21, concerning 18 MLAs. During the Assembly session on that date, discussions pertaining to the sensitive issues of honey-trapping and the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims escalated into a heated confrontation. In our role as members of the Opposition, we assembled near Speaker’s Chair as a form of protest.”

“It was wrongly perceived by the Speaker, so also the ruling party that, in doing such protests they deem that we exhibited behaviour inconsistent with the decorum of the House. Consequently, under the Rule 348 of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, 18 legislators were suspended for six months and were subjected to additional restrictions,” the BJP stated.

“We wish to submit most respectfully that the events of March 21 were neither premeditated nor intended to show any disrespect to the Chair. If the Speaker had summoned the concerned legislators on that day to seek clarifications, we would have readily explained our actions and assured our respect to the Chair and the House.

"Unfortunately, no such opportunity was afforded before the issuance of a decision imposing substantial restrictions on 18 duly-elected representatives, effectively preventing them from fulfilling their duties towards their constituencies,” the BJP stated in the letter.