<p>The Karnataka Legislative Council, which is considered as the House of Elders, witnessed a new low as its members pushed, pulled and abused each other on Tuesday. </p>.<p>It started when Deputy Chairman S L Dharmegowda of the JD(S) occupied the chair before Chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty (Congress) arrived. This angered the Congress as Dharmegowda would have allowed the no-confidence motion against Shetty to be taken up. </p>.<p>The BJP, with the help of the JD(S), wanted to dislodge Shetty through the no-trust motion. </p>.<p>Congress MLCs forced Dharmegowda out of the chair by pulling him, even as the BJP tried to stop this. In the melee, MLCs were seen fist-fighting and hurling abuses. Slogans were raised and papers were torn. The Council Marshalls could do little as MLCs were too enraged. </p>.<p>Having physically removed Dharmegowda from the chair, Congress’s Chandrashekhar Patil occupied it with the party’s MLCs standing guard. They wanted Shetty to occupy it, even as BJP MLCs protested.</p>.<p>Finally, Shetty managed to trudge past the pushing and shoving. “I am adjourning the session sine die,” he said and left. </p>.<p>Leader of Opposition S R Patil of the Congress said Dharmegowda occupying the chair was against the rules. “How can he take the chair without permission? Also, the chairperson had rejected the BJP’s no-confidence motion saying it was not in order,” he said. </p>.<p>RDPR Minister K S Eshwarappa said the Council had not seen such scenes in its 120-year history. “The entire country has seen how Congress has behaved,” he said. </p>.<p>“We wanted to move the motion. Dharmegowda had taken the chair, which meant that the JD(S) would have supported the motion,” Eshwarappa said. </p>.<p>Tuesday’s session was convened under the pressure of the state government. Shetty had similarly adjourned the session sine die on December 10, following which the BJP had petitioned the Governor. </p>.<p>“The Chairperson should have said he will allow for discussion on this. He has adjourned this earlier too. I condemn this behaviour. We will meet Governor seeking directions to convene the session again. Our fight will continue,” Revenue Minister R Ashoka said. </p>
<p>The Karnataka Legislative Council, which is considered as the House of Elders, witnessed a new low as its members pushed, pulled and abused each other on Tuesday. </p>.<p>It started when Deputy Chairman S L Dharmegowda of the JD(S) occupied the chair before Chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty (Congress) arrived. This angered the Congress as Dharmegowda would have allowed the no-confidence motion against Shetty to be taken up. </p>.<p>The BJP, with the help of the JD(S), wanted to dislodge Shetty through the no-trust motion. </p>.<p>Congress MLCs forced Dharmegowda out of the chair by pulling him, even as the BJP tried to stop this. In the melee, MLCs were seen fist-fighting and hurling abuses. Slogans were raised and papers were torn. The Council Marshalls could do little as MLCs were too enraged. </p>.<p>Having physically removed Dharmegowda from the chair, Congress’s Chandrashekhar Patil occupied it with the party’s MLCs standing guard. They wanted Shetty to occupy it, even as BJP MLCs protested.</p>.<p>Finally, Shetty managed to trudge past the pushing and shoving. “I am adjourning the session sine die,” he said and left. </p>.<p>Leader of Opposition S R Patil of the Congress said Dharmegowda occupying the chair was against the rules. “How can he take the chair without permission? Also, the chairperson had rejected the BJP’s no-confidence motion saying it was not in order,” he said. </p>.<p>RDPR Minister K S Eshwarappa said the Council had not seen such scenes in its 120-year history. “The entire country has seen how Congress has behaved,” he said. </p>.<p>“We wanted to move the motion. Dharmegowda had taken the chair, which meant that the JD(S) would have supported the motion,” Eshwarappa said. </p>.<p>Tuesday’s session was convened under the pressure of the state government. Shetty had similarly adjourned the session sine die on December 10, following which the BJP had petitioned the Governor. </p>.<p>“The Chairperson should have said he will allow for discussion on this. He has adjourned this earlier too. I condemn this behaviour. We will meet Governor seeking directions to convene the session again. Our fight will continue,” Revenue Minister R Ashoka said. </p>
