Separate lanes for VVIPs: Speaker makes U-turn after row

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Making an outlandish demand, the Karnataka assembly speaker U T Khader voiced out for a separate lane for the VVIPs at toll plazas.

The speaker later clarified that the demand was made by an MLA and said a separate lane is practically not possible. Earlier, the speaker asked the PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi to address the issue with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) as two MLAs complained of facing harassment at the toll plazas.

Interestingly, Congress MLA Narendraswamy called for an attention motion and accused toll plaza officials of misbehaving with him.

The MLA had previously said that toll plaza officials at Sheshagiri Halli behaved unusually despite showing them the MLA pass.

He also alleged them of behaving like goondas and using abusive language. However, Khader was reported to have told the PWD minister to discuss and submit a privilege motion to NHAI and include the ExMLAs in it.

After the demand sparked severe criticism from the public and the former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Khader backtracked from the demand.

Bommai had said it exposed the Congress’ VVIP mindset.

He added the demand from the speaker came as he was under pressure from the Congress government. Professor M N Sree Hari, who is also a traffic expert, said the demand was wrong and everyone is equal before the law.