Bangalore: The Karnataka Legislative Council was on Monday rocked over the issue of attack on young women by pro-Hindu vigilante groups in Mangalore on Saturday.
Opposition Congress and Janata Dal(S) members raised the issue as soon as the House assembled just past the noon and demanded that they be allowed to make a preliminary submission and discuss the Mangalore attack.
Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy, however, disallowed their plea and said as per the tradition, the question hour cannot be postponed under any circumstances. He assured that the opposition will be let to make the preliminary submission on the issue only after the one-hour long question hour.
Protesting against this the Congress members came down to the well of the House and raised slogans against the government. ‘Down with the government that is supporting the communal elements. Down with this government which is anti-woman,’ they shouted.
Leader of the Opposition S R Patil urged the Chairman to make an exception as he said the matter was of extreme importance as the women in the state had come under attack and the opposition had a serious doubt whether the BJP government was ‘dead or alive’ in the state.
A similar attack occurred on January 24, 2009, when such pro-Hindu outfit had attacked women in a pub in Mangalore. The culprits went scot-free after the police filed a case for name sake and the same elements have committed a similar crime, he alleged.
‘This is an episode which makes us to hang our heads in shame. We never heart such things happen in Karnataka before. The Chairman should allow us to discuss the matter,’ Mr Patil said.
JD(S) floor leader M C Nanaiah, enraged over the ‘brutal’ attack on women by Hindu Jagarja Vedike activists said, ‘Had I been the Governor, I would have dismissed this government under Article 356. You can’t stick to the tradition when this matter calls for immediate discussion.’
However, the Chairman insisted that the question hour cannot be put off, which was supported by Leader of the House V Somanna.”
“We fully agree with the seriousness of the matter and are ready to hear to the views of the opposition and take their suggestion. It was an inhuman act and there is no question of letting the perpetrators of this attack go scot-free. The government will ensure that they are punished,” he said.
Home Minister R Ashok also said the government was not against a detailed discussion on the issue and he was ready to clarify on any matter that is raised by the opposition after the question hour as felt by the Chairman.
Even as the opposition leaders refused to budge and remained in the well of the house and continued slogan shouting, Mr Shankarmurthy adjourned the house for 10 minutes. (UNI)