Bengaluru, Mar 16 (NationPress) The Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly, U.T. Khader, held a significant meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, and other prominent Congress leaders on Monday. This meeting was convened to address the pressing issue of unanswered questions within the Assembly, which had previously prompted the Speaker to voice his dissatisfaction with the government and subsequently adjourn the House.

This incident has been perceived as a major setback for the ruling Congress-led government.

Upon the resumption of Assembly proceedings, State Home Minister G. Parameshwara informed members regarding the discussions from the meeting. He reassured them that the government was taking this matter seriously and would implement measures to prevent any recurrence of such an incident.

While addressing the Assembly, Home Minister Parameshwara stated, "In the past four to five days, both the Opposition Leader R. Ashoka and senior BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar expressed their dissatisfaction with the number of written responses provided for unstarred questions. They claimed that out of approximately 200 questions, less than half had received answers. LoP Ashoka emphasized that this situation does not reflect well on the state government."

He added that the Assembly Speaker, Khader, had issued directives and the government committed to providing the necessary answers.

"This morning, of 234 questions, only 84 were addressed. Naturally, this raised concerns. The Opposition Leader expressed his discontent, leading the Speaker to adjourn the House. Such occurrences are rare, and it is unusual for the House to be adjourned under these conditions," Parameshwara elaborated.

The Home Minister noted that this incident marked only the second or third time in the Assembly's history that such a situation has occurred.

He mentioned that the Speaker had communicated with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, and other Congress leaders, with the Chief Secretary also present for the discussions.

"It has been communicated that notices will be sent to all departmental secretaries. If numerous questions remain unanswered, the Chief Minister has suggested that potential actions, including suspensions, could be considered," added Parameshwara.

The state government had already acknowledged the seriousness of the matter following the Speaker's objections.

"Consequently, the Chief Minister has issued instructions. For instance, in the Revenue Department, only 20 out of 90 questions were answered. Similar patterns were observed in other departments," he noted.

"I assure you on behalf of the Chief Minister and the state government that such a situation will not happen again in the future, and that proper responses will be given," the Home Minister promised.

Opposition Leader Ashoka remarked, "For the past week, we have been highlighting this issue to the Speaker. Today, to maintain the dignity of the Chair, a decisive action was taken, which we appreciate. In several instances, government officials fail to attend. For example, in the Housing Department, only four out of 31 questions received answers."

He accused government personnel of not treating the matter with the seriousness it deserves.

"Despite directives from the Chair, the state Chief Secretary seems to have overlooked the issue. I commend you for your decision. Simple threats of suspension may not impact some officials. There are IAS officers who reportedly have not been present in the office for eight to nine months. They have time for leisure activities yet continue to receive salaries," BJP leader Ashoka asserted.

He emphasized that it is the responsibility of state officials to respect the authority of the Chair.

"Today’s events are unprecedented. The state government should take action against those officers who have disrespected the Assembly. Ministers must ensure accountability among IAS officers; only then will the system operate effectively," LoP Ashoka concluded.

State BJP Secretary and MLA, V. Sunil Kumar, declared that this was the first instance in Assembly history where the Chair adjourned the House over such an issue.

He stated that the Speaker's decision had upheld the dignity of the Chair.

In a blow to the Congress-led government, Speaker Khader criticized the government sharply on Monday for their failure to provide written responses to unstarred questions posed by state MLAs, despite repeated warnings from the Chair.

Expressing significant dissatisfaction, the Assembly Speaker stated that the government had been cautioned multiple times to ensure timely replies to legislators’ inquiries.

"If the government cannot answer questions from MLAs, why should they even attend the Assembly? How is this justified? I have already issued strict orders four times, and this marks the fifth time," he stated.

Stating that there had been no improvement from the government, the Speaker questioned how the House could function smoothly if such lapses persisted.

"If this is the government's attitude, how can we run the House in a manner that satisfies all parties?" he asked.

Speaker Khader also announced that House proceedings would not continue until the relevant Ministers and officials provided explanations for the delays in answering questions.

"Until the concerned Ministers and officials come to me with a valid explanation, I will not conduct the House. Therefore, I am adjourning the House," he declared.

Earlier, after the Question and Answer session, Home Minister Parameshwara reported to the House on behalf of the government that of the 230 questions scheduled for written responses, only 84 had been provided.