Congress legislators to spend night in K'taka legislature to demand minister's ouster

Congress legislators will spend Thursday night inside the Karnataka legislative assembly and council, demanding the sacking of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa and also that he be booked for sedition for his statement about the national flag.

This came even as protests by the party legislators rocked the proceedings in both houses for the second consecutive day.

Congress members stayed back in the assembly, even after it was adjourned for the day.

Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa later met Leader of Opposition and Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah in the assembly premises and held talks.

Earlier, addressing reporters outside the assembly, Siddaramaiah, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party and Sangh Parivar of disrespecting the national flag, said the Congress has decided to stage 'day-and-night' protests, to take the issue to a "logical end".

Noting that the governor, who is the constitutional head, should have intervened and given instructions for Eshwarappa's dismissal as his comments amount to treason, he said: "The chief minister is also not taking action against Eshwarappa, the RSS is implementing its hidden agenda through Eshwarappa."

Meanwhile, Eshwarappa said there is no question of him resigning for any reason, and he is a patriot who had gone to jail during the Emergency.

"Let them protest, I won't budge," he said, and demanded that state Congress chief D K Shivakumar resign, accusing him and his party of 'misusing' the national flag for protests.

Recently, Eshwarappa had claimed 'Bhagwa dhwaj' (saffron flag) may become the national flag some time in the future and the same may be hoisted on the Red Fort then.

He however had said the tricolour is the national flag now, and it should be respected by everyone.

Terming the stand taken by Congress leaders as anti-people, Chief Minister Bommai said, earlier too overnight protests have taken place in the assembly, but they were on issues concerning people, farmers and interest of the state, but this is a protest by misinterpreting a statement.

"There is nothing wrong in Eshwarappa's statement, there is nothing in his statement that is against the law. As they (Congress) don't have any other issues they are doing this. For the first time without any reason overnight protest is being held, this is not the sign of a responsible opposition. They feel they will get political mileage out of it, but they are wrong," he said.

At a time when the people and government are working towards sorting out issues and creating a conducive atmosphere for students in schools and colleges, and maintain peace, instead of working together and sending out a message of unity, the Congress is trying to play politics, he added.

The Chair in the assembly on Wednesday had rejected the Congress' adjournment motion demanding the dismissal of and sedition case against Eshwarappa.

The speaker also has held meetings of floor leaders to end the stalemate, but they were unsuccessful.

The last time when legislators had stayed put in the assembly overnight was in 2019. At the time, it was the BJP MLAs who were protesting against the delay in then Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy taking a trust vote on the floor of the House.

In 2010, Congress legislators had staged a similar protest against the then BJP government on the illegal mining issue.

It was in 1996 when the first such overnight protest is said to have taken place in the assembly. It was by BJP then against the J H Patel government over the power tariff hike.

On Thursday, as soon as the assembly met for the day, Congress members trooped into the well of the House to mark their protest.

After the House paid tributes to former MLA Mallur Ananda Rao, who died on February 14, Speaker Kageri took up the Question Hour, and Congress members began shouting slogans demanding action against Eshwarappa, calling him "Desha Drohi" (traitor).

The Question Hour took place amid sloganeering from Congress members, who did not participate in it despite repeated requests from the chair.

Slogans like "We want justice", "We want resignation", "Down, down to corrupt government", "Eshwarappa - desha drohi", "This government is RSS puppet", "BJP government is anti national flag" among others marred the proceedings.

After the Question Hour, the Speaker asked Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah to speak on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor's address, but he did not speak and continued to protest from the well along with Congress legislators.

As the chaos continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till 3 pm.

As Congress members continued their protest from the well of the assembly, shouting slogans demanding Eshwarappa's resignation when it met post lunch, Speaker Kageri adjourned the House for the day.

In the legislative council, too, proceedings were marred by Congress's protest with placards from the well, demanding action against Eshwarappa.