Bengaluru: Pandemonium broke out at the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday, as deputy chairman S.L. Dharme Gowda was literally pulled down from the Chairman’s seat. The House was adjourned sine die without taking up any business.After it was adjourned sine die originally on December 10, the Council was convened for a day by the government, accusing the chairman K. Pratapachandra Shetty of “abruptly” adjourning the session, for today.Though the no-confidence motion against Shetty moved by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members did not find mention in today’s agenda, as the chairman had rejected it by citing procedural lapses, the ruling party members have been insisting that it should be taken up.Chaotic scenes in Karnataka Legislative Council. Cong MLCs physically drag Deputy Chairman Dharme Gowda from the seat, allege that he illegal tried to preside over a no confidence motion against Chairman. BJP MLCs try to close the door, Cong MLC Naseer Ahmed seen kicking the door pic.twitter.com/slNDytwB59— Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) December 15, 2020As the House met for the day, Gowda occupied the chairman’s seat, which angered the Congress Members of Legislative Council (MLC) who rushed to the chair demanding that he vacate it, following which BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) members came to Shetty’s protection.Separately, few Congress members were seen forcefully opening the door through which the chairman enters the house, accusing the ruling side of shutting it with the intention of not allowing Shetty to enter the House.Congress members accused the government of trying to start the proceedings even before the chairman could come, with the help of Gowda, with an intention to take up the no-confidence motion against Shetty, which has been rejected by him.Some Congress members, including M. Narayanaswamy were seen forcefully pulling down the deputy chairman from the chair.Several members and marshals of the council were also allegedly manhandled in the melee, even as the Congress managed to make one of its members occupy the chair.Several BJP and JD(S) MLCs objected to this and questioned whether the person occupying the chair was among the panel members who could sit on it.After some time, chairman Pratapachandra Shetty entered the House and went up to the chair even as deputy chief minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan tried to obstruct him from occupying it.Shetty then announced that the house was adjourned sine die.Leader of opposition in the Council S.R. Patil alleged that the deputy chairman occupied the chair against the rules and procedures and it was against the constitution.Revenue minister R. Ashoka, accused the Congress of unruly behaviour in the House, and said that the government would soon announce its next course of action.
