Cong dharna in K'taka Assembly over remarks

Bangalore, Mar 27: The Karnataka Assembly was adjourned for some time today following a dharna by the Congress leaders, demanding withdrawal of remarks made by Higher Education Minister D H Shankaramurthy involving Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

As soon as the House assembled, Leader of the Opposition N Dharam Singh and other Congress leaders brought to the notice of the House that the Minister, in his statement in Hassan, had levelled charges against the party President with regard to shifting of the Indian Institute of Technology from Karnataka to Andhra Pradesh. The Minister was not present in the House when they raised the issue.

Speaker Krishna adjourned the House for ten minutes following the Treasury and Opposition benches indulging in charges and counter charges. When the House re-assembled, the Congress members withdrew their dharna in the wake of an assurance from the Speaker that they would be permitted to discuss the issue tomorrow.

UNI