Opposition-BJP standoff continues in Assembly for third day

Bangalore, Jan 13 (PTI) Opposition Congress and JD-Stoday stuck to their guns in the Karnataka Assembly demandingdiscussion on alleged scams involving the BJP Governmentbefore staging a walkout as their confrontation with the B SYeddyurappa-led dispensation showed no sign of abating.

As the House met today, Congress and JD-S members troopedinto the well and said recommendations of the Appachu RanjanCommittee, on the "unruly" conduct of 15 legislators duringthe October 11 confidence vote, had been leaked to the mediabefore being tabled in the Assembly.

Citing breach of privilege, the Opposition demanded thatthe matter be referred to the Privileges Committee.

The motion for breach of privilege was sought to be movedby Sharan Prakash Rudrappa Patil and N L Narendra Babu (bothCongress).

Speaker K G Bopaiah said he had just received the noticefor the motion and would take appropriate action afterexamining it.

The Opposition demanded that the Appachu Ranjanlegislative committee report should not be placed in the Housetill the Privileges Committee gave its recommendations.

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah (Congress) then soughtto highlight the alleged scams and charged, "This Governmenthas looted Rs one lakh crore."

As opposition members raised anti-government slogans, hesaid, "We have not been allowed to discuss (the alleged scams)under (Rule) 60. Yeddyurappa has to resign. The BJP governmenthas to resign. Probe should be handed over to CBI."

The Opposition members, who have been demanding discussionon corruption since last two days, then staged a walk-out fromthe House raising slogans against the government.

The Speaker then conducted the proceedings as per theday''sagenda, without the presence of the Opposition.

Among the reports tabled today included the Appachu RanjanCommittee report, as also the D Hemachandra Sagar-chairedspecial house committee which went into the untoward incidentsduring the election of the Speaker on December 30, 2009. PTIRS VS