Bengaluru, Jan 28 (NationPress) The Karnataka BJP on Wednesday criticized the Congress-led administration, claiming that during the discussion of the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, members of the ruling party disparaged the Governor for not delivering the speech prepared by the State Cabinet during the joint session.

The BJP demanded that the government show remorse in the House. However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah refuted the claims of disrespect and dismissed the call for an apology.

The heated exchanges between the Opposition and the ruling party created turmoil in the Assembly, prompting Speaker U.T. Khader to adjourn the session.

After the Question and Answer period, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka stated, “A decision was made to introduce a motion of thanks to the Governor’s address. Reports from the media clearly indicate that the Governor was insulted during this discussion by Congress members. The Governor is the State's first citizen. While Congress leaders criticize the Governor, they also assert it is a motion of thanks.”

Ashoka claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s legal advisor and MLA A.S. Ponnanna questioned the Governor’s actions and accused him of not fulfilling his constitutional duties. “Ponnanna also asked why the Governor was ‘afraid’ to discuss the government’s accomplishments. This is a direct insult to the Governor,” he stated.

He further claimed that the Law Minister had said the Governor had “fled,” noting that previous Governors, including the late Hansraj Bharadwaj and Khursheed Alam Khan, had taken similar actions. “The Congress is attempting to present this as an unprecedented incident,” Ashoka asserted, demanding that the House apologize and resolve the issue.

In response, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah remarked that the controversy would not have occurred had the Governor delivered the speech prepared by the government. “I do not agree with the call for an apology. What wrongdoing has the government committed?” he queried.

Ashoka challenged the slogans of “Go Back Governor” and the attempts to obstruct the Governor while leaving the House by Congress members. Siddaramaiah stated he was unaware of such actions and questioned why the Governor departed before the National Anthem was played. “He should have remained until the anthem concluded,” he added.

Ashoka noted that Governors in the past had also exited in a similar manner. Siddaramaiah asked what the BJP had done at that time, prompting Ashoka to allege that Siddaramaiah himself had asked the Governor to stop reading the address during his time in the Opposition.

Siddaramaiah claimed he did not recall the incident, drawing criticism from BJP MLAs, who accused him of willfully forgetting it.

Senior BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar referred to Assembly records from January 6, 2011, when Siddaramaiah was Leader of the Opposition and Hansraj Bharadwaj was Governor. He stated that Opposition members had raised slogans during the Governor's address to the joint session, yet Siddaramaiah had stood up and expressed respect for the Governor while accusing the prior BJP-led government of corruption and urging him not to read the speech.

Siddaramaiah responded that his comments were aimed at the government, not the Governor.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao claimed the political climate at that time was distinct, coinciding with the illegal mining scandal that ultimately led to the BJP-led government’s dismissal.

Ashoka accused Siddaramaiah of misleading the House, asserting that the padyatra mentioned by the Chief Minister was undertaken later. BJP MLA Janardhana Reddy reinforced this claim, adding that the Congress had appointed Santhosh Lad as a minister despite negative rulings against him.

Janardhana Reddy further stated that CM Siddaramaiah undertook the padyatra in July 2010. CM Siddaramaiah should not mislead the House.

As the arguments heightened, chaos ensued in the Assembly, leading Speaker U.T. Khader to adjourn the House.