Hubli (Karnataka) [India], March 23 : BJP MP Jagadish Shettar said on Sunday termed the suspension of 18 BJP MLAs from the state assembly for six months as "undemocratic" and urged the speaker to withdraw the order. He also appealed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to initiate the withdrawal of the suspension order.
"This suspension was undemocratic... I insist that the speaker withdraw this order and CM Siddaramaiah initiates the withdrawal of this suspension order," said Shettar.
According to Shettar, the MLAs were protesting against the 4 per cent Muslim quota bill and the honey trap scam. They claimed the government wasn't responding adequately, prompting a peaceful protest. Shettar emphasized that the protest wasn't against the speaker's post, but rather a call for accountability.
"BJP MLAs were protesting particularly against the 4 per cent Muslim quota bill and the honey trap scam. When the government was not properly responding, BJP MLAs started a peaceful protest. There was no protest against the speaker's post...," said the BJP MP.
A major controversy erupted in Karnataka after 18 BJP MLAs were suspended on Friday from the state assembly for six months. The suspension was imposed by Assembly Speaker UT Khader, citing disruption of proceedings and creating a ruckus over the 'honey-trap' issue.
The House witnessed dramatic scenes as visuals captured marshals physically removing the BJP legislators from the chamber. A Bill was tabled by Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil.
Ruckus erupted in the Assembly as BJP MLAs entered the Well of the House and also tore and threw papers at the Speaker UT Khader's chair.
The Karnataka state cabinet approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, which aims to provide 4 per cent reservation in tenders to Minority contractors.
The decision was taken on March 14 in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Cabinet Hall of the Vidhan Sabha. Official sources added that the amendment will be made after the KTPP act is tabled in the ongoing assembly session.
However, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has clarified that the state government's decision to provide a four per cent reservation in government contracts is not exclusive to Muslims but extends to "all minority communities and backward classes.
"Earlier, State Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that all five to six minority communities will come under this reservation.
"BJP always does nonsense things. There is a reservation for SC/ST. Now, we have given reservations to minorities. There are five to six minority communities. All will come under this reservation, not just one community," Ramalinga Reddy said addressing the media.