Karnataka Congress Chief and Member of the Legislative Council B.K. Hariprasad sparked a sharp confrontation in the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday, 22 September, after he alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was responsible for the deaths of 800 farmers who were peacefully protesting against the farm laws. The remark immediately drew furious objections from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members, escalating into a heated argument that ultimately forced a BJP walkout and the adjournment of the House.

How the Controversy Erupted

The flashpoint came during a debate on farmer distress and drought conditions, initiated by Leader of the Opposition in the Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy. While Narayanaswamy drew comparisons between loan waiver measures under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government and those under PM Modi's tenure, Hariprasad intervened sharply.

'You be quiet; it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who got 800 farmers killed, who were peacefully protesting,' Hariprasad said, according to reports from the Council session. The remark immediately drew objections from BJP MLCs, who alleged that the Congress leader had used derogatory language against the Prime Minister.

BJP Demands Expunction, Cites Breach of Etiquette

BJP MLC C.T. Ravi was among the first to respond, alleging that Hariprasad had displayed a lack of parliamentary etiquette in making such a remark against the Prime Minister. Several BJP members collectively demanded that Hariprasad's statement be expunged from the Council's official proceedings.

Council Chairman Saleem Ahmed intervened to restore order, assuring members that the demand for expunction would be examined and that any language found to be indecent or unparliamentary would be removed from the record.

Congress Defends Hariprasad, Counter-Allegations Follow

Ministers Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Vijayananda Kashappanavar, and Ajay Singh stood by Hariprasad amid the BJP protests. Hariprasad himself escalated the exchange by alleging that loan waivers under the BJP government had primarily benefited industrialists rather than farmers — a charge that Ravi flatly rejected.

Notably, this is not the first time the Karnataka Council has been disrupted over remarks tied to the farm law protests, which have remained politically charged long after the Centre repealed the three contentious laws in November 2021.

Walkout and Adjournment

As arguments persisted and BJP members continued to demand an apology, Narayanaswamy attempted to resume his speech on the drought situation. However, Labour Minister Santhosh Lad's intervention drew fresh objections from Narayanaswamy, who alleged that ruling party members were repeatedly disrupting the Opposition leader's address.

BJP members subsequently raised slogans against the Congress government and staged a walkout from the Council chamber. Chairman Ahmed adjourned the House following the protest.

What Comes Next

The controversy is expected to spill into the next sitting of the Council, with BJP members reportedly set to press for a formal apology from Hariprasad over his remarks against the Prime Minister. Chairman Ahmed's decision on whether to expunge the statement from the record will be closely watched as a marker of how far the standoff escalates.