Date:09/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/09/stories/2006090913190300.htm

Karnataka - Bidar

Unruly scenes mar meeting of Bidar Zilla Panchayat

Staff Correspondent

Argument over the procedure to take up no-confidence motion leads to trouble

SCUFFLE: Zilla Panchayat members arguing with one another at a meeting in Bidar on Friday.

Bidar: The zilla panchayat meeting held here on Friday to discuss the no confidence motion moved by the Opposition against the Janata Dal (S)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine witnessed unruly scenes with members not agreeing on the procedure to be followed to take up the motion.

The members from the ruling combine and the Opposition traded charges, threw papers and books, broke some mikes and flower vases and almost came to blows.

Trouble started when Congress members objected to the presence of MLA and president of the district unit of the BJP Prakash Khandre at the meeting. They contended that MLAs were not eligible to vote for or against a confidence motion in the zilla panchayat under the Karnataka Panchayati Raj Act, 1993.

They urged Chief Executive Officer Jitendra Nayak to send Mr. Khandre out of the meeting hall. Mr. Nayak read out the provisions of the Act and requested Mr. Khandre to keep away from the meeting. Initially, Mr. Khandre protested. He said he would be present during the discussion on the motion, but would keep away during voting. Congress, AIPJD and BSP members were not happy with his reply and demanded that he walk out of the hall. Mr. Khandre had to leave the hall.

While this mater was being discussed, Congress member Neelkanth Rathod proposed that party member D.K. Sidrama chair the meeting. Without waiting for any approval, Mr. Sidrama sat on the president's chair. This angered Janata Dal (S) and BJP members who gathered in front of Mr Nayak and began arguing with him.

Zilla panchayat president and Janata Dal (S) member Anil Bhusare pushed Mr. Sidrama away from the chair. He and BJP member Padmakar Patil threw away mikes and flower vases. They were joined by other members of the ruling combine who sought an explanation from Mr. Nayak on Mr. Sidrama's action.

Mr. Nayak said that he had neither allowed the meeting to commence nor permitted Mr. Rathod to propose any member's name to chair the meeting.

BJP and Janata Dal (S) members sought a ruling from Mr. Nayak and wanted him to take disciplinary action against Mr. Sidrama. They threatened to disrupt the meeting till action was taken against him. Meanwhile, an argument broke out between AIPJD member Amrit Chimkod and Mr. Bhusare. Mr. Chimkod tried to throw a mike at Mr. Bhusare. However, BSP member Mohammed Inayat Ali and others pacified them. Mr. Sidrama, who walked out of the hall, however, returned at the time of voting.