Karnataka Congress MLA suspended for a week for "indecent" act of removing shirt inside assembly
A Congress MLA was on Thursdaysuspended from the Karnataka Assembly till March 12 for hisindecent and disrespectful conduct of removing his shirtinside the House during a protest by his party.
After Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri took strongexception to the conduct of B K Sangamesh, ParliamentaryAffairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai moved a motion to suspendhim, which was adopted by a voice vote.
The incident occurred as Congress members wereprotesting from the well of the House against a discussion onOne Nation, One Election initiated by the Speaker.
Sagamesh, who was just next to the Speakers podium,removed his shirt and put it on his shoulder while shoutingslogans.
Kageri, who noticed it from the Chair, reacted sharply.
“What are you doing….Siddaramaiah (Leader ofOpposition) your party ruled for long, look at the way yourmembers are conducting, is this the way to behave? this willnot bring respect to anyone. This kind of indiscipline cannotbe tolerated,” he said, warning to send the MLA out.
At this point, state Congress chief D K Shivakumar andother party colleagues prodded Sangamesh to wear the shirtback and helped him in the process.
Warning action against Sangamesh, Speaker instructed himto behave properly, and said his conduct was disrespectful tothe people of Bhadravathi, the constituency he represents.
“Is this the way to behave? …are you on the streets? Hasthe House become a joke for you? if you oppose something,express it from your place, your conduct is disrespectful andirresponsible,” he said, and adjourned the House for 15minutes.
As the House reassembled, the Speaker initiated theprocess for action against Sangamesh and named him, saying hecannot tolerate such conduct.
Following this Bommai moved the motion to suspend the MLAtill March 12 with immediate effect, despite Congress membersobjecting to it.
Siddaramaiah termed the suspension “unilateral”, andsaid, “Put all of us also outside.” Later speaking to reporters outside the assembly,Sangamesh sought to defend his action, saying he did it as hewas not getting justice.
“What else should I do, if I dont get justice? I havenot done wrong things like goondaism…..I will go and askwhy I was suspended,” he said.
The MLA also said he had given a letter to the Speakerregarding “false atrocity” and “attempt to murder” casesbooked against him and family members, but did not get anyresponse.
He claimed the cases were politically motivated as theBJP was unable to defeat him in Bhadravathi.
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