Cong stages walkout in K'taka Council

Bangalore, Apr 2 (UNI) The main Opposition Congress today staged a walkout in the Karnataka Legislative Council, charging the JD(S)-BJP coalition Government with having failed to check the deteriorating law and order situation in the State.

Leader of the Opposition H K Patil, initiating a discussion on the deteriorating law and order situation, immediately after zero hour, said Tourism Minister B Sriramulu was staging a dharna in front of a police station in Bellary to protest the ''police negligence'' in connection with the death of a minority community leader by workers of a party last night. He demanded a statement on the issue and sought adjournment of the House till the Government offered an explanation.

He said Mr Sriramulu staged a dharna to protest the ''police raj'' in Bellary district and the release of the accused in the case, allegedly at the intervention of Mr Suryanarayana Reddy, the Political Secretary to the Chief Minister. He had also tendered his resignation to mark his protest.

JD(U) member Dr M P Nada Gouda also demanded that the Government make a statement and sought adjournment of the House.

JD(S) member N Thippanna, who was in the Chair, instructed the State Government to make a statement on the issue and adjourned the House for 15 minutes. When the House met again, Home Minister M P Prakash clarified that Mr Sriramulu had not resigned from the Ministry and had not sent any resignation letter to those concerned.

He claimed Mr Sriramulu was not staging a dharna in front of the police station and had gone there only to pacify the agitating crowd. He had sought a detailed report on the incident from the Bellary Superintendent of Police and would make a statement on the floor of the House tomorrow. Mr Sriramulu promised to return to Bangalore tomorrow and was expected to make a statement in the House, he said.

Congress member K C Kondaiah said the situation in Bellary was alarming and might go out of control unless the Minister withdrew his dharna. He appealed to Mr Prakash to prevail upon his Cabinet colleague to withdraw the dharna.

Dissatisfied with the Government's reply, the Congress members, led by Mr Patil, trooped out of the House.

UNI