Karnataka Speaker guillotines Appropriation Bill

Bangalore, Jul 17: Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Krishna today guillotined the Karnataka Appropriation (Number three) Bill, amidst dharna and pandemonium by the Opposition parties, demanding that suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader Siddaramaiah be allowed to make a statement before resigning his seat.

Mr Siddaramaiah had, on July 14, demanded that he be allowed to make a statement as he had decided to resign his Assembly seat following ideological differences with the party leadership.

However, the Speaker had disallowed any such statement, leading to the former Deputy Chief Minister and his Congress supporters staging a dharna.

The Assembly witnessed noisy scenes and some Congress members tore copies of the Bill, even as the Speaker put it to voice vote.

The Bill, relating to demand for grants for various departments for the financial year ending March 31, 2007, was passed by voice vote and nothing was audible in the din as the members began shouting anti-Speaker slogans from the well of the House.

Earlier in the day, the Speaker adjourned the House twice amidst heated exchanges between the treasury and Opposition benches over the issue. Mr Siddaramaiah insisted that he be given permission to make a statement and said if the Speaker did not review his earlier ruling it would amount to undemocratic, unconstitutional and denial of principles of natural justice to him. His views were endorsed by Leader of the Opposition N Dharam Singh and others.

The House was adjourned for the day, even as the Opposition party members continued their dharna.

UNI