BMIC proj: Assembly session begins on noisy note

Bangalore, June 19: The Karnataka Legislative Assembly was today adjourned for half an hour amidst dharna and slogan shouting by the main opposition Congress members over the controversial Bangalore Mysore Expressway Project.

As soon as the House assembled for the day, the Congress members, led by Leader of the Opposition N Dharam Singh, sought to move an adjournment motion on a statement made by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on June 13 in which he had said that a former minister and journalist had tried to woo him in connection with the BMIC project.

The Congress members, in their preliminary submission, said the role of the former minister and journalist attracted the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act. Mr Kumaraswamy should have immediately lodged a complaint with the police. If he had intentionally kept quiet, it amounted to unpardonable crime and he had no moral right to continue in power, they added.

The Chief Minister said the government was ready for a discussion on the BMIC issue. He was not going to resign as he had not committed any mistake. At one stage, senior Congress leader R V Desphande entered into an argument with Mr Kumaraswamy.

When Speaker Krishna converted the adjournment motion notice into a matter to be discussed under Rule 69, the Congress members opposed it and insisted that the issue be discussed under the adjournment motion.

However, the Speaker said the members could not direct the chair and appealed to the Congress to discuss the issue under the Rule.

Unrelenting from their stand, the Congress members, led by Mr Singh, trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans and staged a dharna following which Mr Krishna adjourned the House for 30 minutes.

UNI