Chaos, din on last day of session; BJP’s Ravi suspended

Bengaluru: Uncivil conduct and unparliamentary language by both ruling and opposition members marked the last day of the 10-day joint session of the Karnataka legislature, with council chairman Basavaraj Horatti suspending BJP member CT Ravi for his unsavoury remarks.Both houses saw debates touching a new low: In the assembly, Congress MLA Shivalinge Gowda's remarks against BJP MLAs led to ruckus; in the upper house, Ravi was the target for allegedly making derogatory remarks amid chaos triggered by BJP members seeking Congress member Naseer Ahmed's apology for statements against PM Modi.
The chaos held sway in the legislature which saw day-and-night dharna by opposition MLAs demanding the resignation of excise minister RB Thimmapur in an alleged Rs 6,000-crore scam.With Speaker UT Khader allowing ruling party MLAs to debate on the resolution condemning the repeal of MGNREGA by the Centre, Congress MLA Gowda stood up to speak. Attacked by BJP, Gowda lost his cool and said BJP MLAs were "behaving like monkeys and dogs".Amid the din, Congress got the resolution against repeal of MGNREGA passed.Gowda accused BJP MLA Sharanu Salagar of lacking moral integrity, making allegations of financial impropriety involving his wife, a tahsildar. His remarks led to uproar. BJP demanded Gowda apologise for using abusive and unparliamentary words.BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar claimed Gowda was a "habitual offender" and had previously used unparliamentary words against the BJP which were removed from the records. Kumar said: "Let's see how you (Speaker) conduct the House proceedings during the budget session (if words weren't expunged)." Gowda refused to apologise for his remarks and said he uttered them in anger.In the council, the ruling party sought suspension of BJP's CT Ravi for using ‘Pakistani tongue' words against Congress MLC Nasir Ahmed on Tuesday. Government chief whip in the Upper House, Saleem Ahmed, said Ravi had acted similarly earlier too. While BJP members informed the chairman that rules prohibit suspension of a member in absence, law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil said the rule allows suspension if the absentee member fails to return within deadline. Horratti set an 8pm deadline for Ravi. Later, Horatti suspended Ravi for the day and instructed marshals not to let Ravi in the House.