BJP seeks action against Cong. members

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, MARCH 20. The BJP members of the Legislative Assembly staged a dharna in front of the chamber of the Speaker, Mr. M.V. Venkatappa, here on Tuesday, demanding that he take action against the Congress members for obstructing the proceedings of the House.

When the House reassembled after lunch break, the members started shouting slogans against each other. While those of the Congress tried to raise the allegation of corruption in Defence deals by the Union Government, the BJP members tried to rake up the Bofors scandal. It was during this time that the latter rushed to the Speaker's chamber and staged the dharna.

The House reassembled at 3.50 p.m., but the members of the two parties continued to raise charges and counter-charges against each other. Mr. Venkatappa then adjourned the House for the day.

Earlier, even as he was taking up a call attention notice after Question Hour, Mr. C.R. Neelakantappa and Mr. Vijayakumar Shetty sought permission to raise the allegations of corruption against the NDA Government.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Jagadish Shettar, took exception to this, and in a raised voice, said the action of

the Treasury Benches was an insult to the House and disrespect to the Chair.

The ruling party members were heard shouting ``shame''. Nothing else could be heard in the din. The Chair, following the lack of response to an appeal by the Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. D.B. Chandre Gowda, directed the official reporters not to take notes of the proceedings.

Meanwhile, Mr. P.G.R. Sindhia, Leader of the Janata Dal(U) group, was asked by the Speaker to speak on the issue of deaths due to cholera in Sindhanoor. When shouting by the Congress members continued, several Janata Dal(U) members entered the well of the House.

Following an appeal by the Speaker, the members of that party went back to their seats, but the Congress members did not relent. Even as the BJP member, Mr. A. Ramdas, was asking the Chair not to feel helpless, the House was adjourned to meet at 3 p.m.

Mr. Shettar told presspersons that it was unfortunate that the ruling party members were determined to obstruct the proceedings of the House to prevent the Opposition from raising important issues.

He also criticised the Chief Minister, Mr. S.M. Krishna, for his absence in the House. The Chief Minister should have disciplined his party members, he added.

Condemning the conduct of the Congress members, Mr. Shettar said the Chair should take action against those who were obstructing the proceedings as otherwise the House would lose its dignity.

Mr. Suresh Kumar (BJP) said it appeared that the disruption of the proceedings of the House had the approval of the Congress High Command, to divert the attention of the people.

The President of the Janata Dal(U) State unit, Mr. C. Byre Gowda, said that such incidents were unfortunate and a blot on the reputation of the Assembly. He had been a member of the House from 1972, and had never witnessed such ugly incidents.

Mr. Gowda said the Chief Minister had failed to discipline his party members. When the State was facing acute problems and the farmers were reeling under ``terrible'' conditions, leading to suicides, it was not proper on the part of the ruling party members to stall the proceedings of the House.

Mr. Sindhia also blamed Mr. Krishna and Mr. Chandre Gowda for the incidents. When there was a serious case of cholera outbreak in some parts of the State, it was not proper for the ruling party members to obstruct the proceedings of the House, he added.

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