Bellary issue: Congress stages dharna in K'taka Council

Bangalore, June 22 (UNI) The main Opposition Congress members today staged a dharna in the Karnataka Legislative Council demanding the Government to immediately appoint a State Administrator to the Bellary City Corporation, the term of which has expired.

The Congress members, led by Leader of the Opposition H K Patil, trooped to the well of the House in protest against the Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's appeal to the Chair, seeking two weeks' time to reply to the issue, raised by Mr K C Kondaiah (Congress).

Higher Education Minister D H Shankaramurthy read out the Chief Minister's letter to the Chair, which immediately drew loud protests from the Congress.

Intervening, Mr Patil brought to the notice of the House that the Bellary City Municipal Corporation's term had expired on June 12 and there was no provision under the Karnataka Municipal Act to extend the term of an elected body. The rules and laws should be the same throughout the State, he said, wondering whether the law of the land exempted Bellary district.

Dispelling the notion that the matter could not be discussed in the House as it was pending before the High Court, Congress member V R Sudarshan said the House had every right to discuss the issue and its superiority could not be diluted.

Disputing the point of order raised by JD(S) member H C Neeravari, requesting the Chair not to allow the discussion on the issue as it was sub-judice, Mr B K Chandrashekhar (Congress) said the matter pending before the High Court was infructuous as its term had expired and demanded that the State Government immediately appoint a new administrator.

A remark made by the newly elected BJP member Janardhana Reddy against Mr Kondaiah evoked loud protests from the Congress and the Council Acting Chairman Sachidananda Khot expunged the remark and advised the member not to make any allegation against sitting members in the House.

Mr Shankaramurthy urged the Chair not to allow any discussion on the Chief Minister's letter. The Government was making efforts to vacate the stay granted by the High Court on the matter and the Chief Minister would reply on the matter later.

Dissatisfied with the Government's reply, the Congress members staged a dharna, after which the Chair adjourned the House till Monday noon.

Congress members V S Ugrappa, B S Hasanabba and R S Patil, M P Nada Gouda (JD-U) and Mukyamantri Chandru (BJP) also participated in the discussion.

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