Belgaum: Former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and his supporters virtually held the LegÂislative Assembly to ransom on the first day of the Belgaum session, disrupting proceedings and ensuring an unsavoury beginning to a 10-day meet where many important issues are lined up for discussion.
Joining him were other members of the opposition from the BJP and the JD(S) who wanted question hour to be set aside so that a discussion could be taken up on farmer issues.
But the highlight of the day was a raging argument between Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa and Yeddyurappa, with the former CM creating a scene by throwing papers in the air.
Yeddyurappa and other KJP MLAs sat on an indefinite protest in the well of the House even as Question Hour continued, arguing that he had not been given the respect due to a former CM.
The proceedings became noisy soon after the congratulatory motion for Bharat Ratna awardees Dr C.N.R. Rao and Sachin Tendulkar and the obituary references to departed leaders.
The opposition JD(S) wanted the Speaker to pass an adjournment motion on the government’s failures in the agricultural sector, setting aside Question Hour.
The BJP on its part insisted that its motion on cane growers be taken up for discussion putting aside everything else.
Speaker Thimmappa was in no mood to set aside Question Hour, making the opposition rush to the well of the House and protest.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah intervened and said the opposition could make a preliminary submission and leave it to the Speaker to rule if it could be taken up for discussion.
Though BJP and JD(S) members returned to their seats, Yeddyurappa was in no mood to oblige. He charged that the state government had been ‘insensitive’ to his 25-day long protest in Bengaluru, seeking extension of Shaadi Bhagya to other communities.
While Siddaramaiah remÂained unperturbed, Law and Parliamentary Affairs MiniÂster T.B. Jayachandra said the opposition leader should make an effort to control all opposition members.
After Thimmappa alloÂwed Kumaraswamy and Jagadish Shettar to complete their preliminary submissions, Yeddyurappa got his chance. At this point, the proceedings got heated with Thimmappa asking Yeddyurappa not to be repetitive.
Yeddyurappa lost his cool, flung the papers he was holding in the air and rushed into the well of the House. He reached the Speaker's chair and started arguing with him.
Later, the former CM returÂned to his seat and asked his party members to withdraw their protest. He told the SpeÂaker that he would continue his day and night protest inside the Assembly hall, till the session was over.
Stating that he had converted both adjournment motions into a debate under Rule 69, Thimmappa adjourned the House for lunch.
