Empty treasury benches in K’taka Assembly spur walkout by BJP

Belagavi: The opposition BJP Thursday staged a walkout from the Karnataka Assembly, alleging that the state government was not interested in running the House while pointing at empty treasury benches and the Ministers concerned being absent during the debate on drought.

As P Rajeev (BJP) was speaking during the debate on drought situation, his party colleague Araga Jnanendra pointing at the empty treasury benches, especially the front bench where senior Ministers sit, asked, “Who should we speak to and raise the issues.” Soon, several BJP MLAs joined him and alleged that the government was not interested, and questioned as to where the Ministers were.

With Deputy Speaker M Krishna Reddy in the Chair, only some Ministers including Health Minister Shivananda Patil and Cooperation Minister Bandeppa Kashyampur were present. Intervening, Leader of Opposition B S Yeddyurappa said the government was not interested in running the House.

We (BJP) had decided not to obstruct the proceedings of the House, by staging any kind of protest or walking into the well, and wanted the House to function smoothly and discuss serious issues, but it looks like the government is not interested, he said as he led the walkout.

Some ruling party members mocked at BJPs move and said, they were staging a walkout as they wanted early lunch-break and were not interested in the session. They said there have been instances in the past where the House had functioned in a similar situation with only some Ministers being present.