Passing bills after fair discussion in Assembly will benefit citizens: Speaker

Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengaluru: Opposition parties play a critical role in the healthy functioning of democracy, said Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker UT Khader at a press conference organised in the Press Club here on Tuesday.

"Passing bills after a fair discussion in the assembly will benefit the citizens," he went on to add.

While interacting with the press, Khader divulged that had resigned as a primary member of the Congress party to take up the prestigious post of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

During the afternoon session of the Assembly held on July 19, the Speaker had suspended 10 BJP MLAs including CN Ashwath Narayan, R Ashoka, Araga Jnanedra and others, after they threw torn bills at Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Lamani.

Pieces of paper fell on Lamani, provoking him to summon Marshalls to lead the MLAs out before adjourning the House that day. UT Khader said that his primary role was to ensure that the ruling party functions in the right way.

"I had said earlier also that as a Speaker, I will be a friend of the Opposition and will continue to give more opportunity to them, and build a good environment for all MLAs. However, I had to make some tough decisions when the elected representatives acted against the Constitution," he said.

Refuting claims that the action was taken under pressure from the ruling party, Khader said that the responsibility of smooth conduct of the Assembly is not only on the Speaker.

"All leaders and members should cooperate and behave responsibly for this to happen. Accusations and counteraccusations are normal in the House.

However, if any member behaves in an indecent manner, disrespects the Chair or brings disrepute to the system, I will have to take action being the Speaker, that is what I have done," he clarified.

ON TROLLING...

Recently the Speaker was trolled on social media where several BJP members and other users attacked him for his poor Kannada speaking skills.

Khader, in response, said that Kannada was not a spoken language in his home district, which has a diverse language and culture.

"The Kannada language was always confined to books in Dakshina Kannada. We speak different languages at home. Most Hindus speak Tulu. We, Muslims, speak Beary and Christians speak Konkani at home, but all communities converse with each other in Tulu," he said.

He, however, added that he is focusing on his Kannada speaking skills after occupying the Speaker's post. "I agree that there may be some pronunciation errors, for which I thank the people for co-operating with me," Khader said.

Mentioning that the State has some of the richest MLAs in the country, the Speaker was asked if it is right for an elected representative to run businesses. "There is nothing wrong in MLAs running businesses as long as they are done legally," he said.

'CRITICISM UNAVOIDABLE'

After the BJP MLAs were suspended, it was, perhaps, the first time that the Opposition benches were vacant when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah replied to a debate on the Budget.

To this, Khader said that choosing Leader of the Opposition is an internal BJP matter.

"As much as I am friendly with the Opposition, they are apprehensive of me," he added. Asked if the 'disciplinary' action had helped improve the situation in the House, he said, "The outcome will be known in the next session."

On the controversy over inviting Sri Sri Ravishankar and Dr Veerendra Heggade to address first-time legislators during the orientation workshop, Khader clarified that none of the MLAs had an issue with it.

"There was some resistance only on social media. I consider that episode a closed chapter. I am neither Leftnor Right-leaning. I stand with people who are facing hardship, and try to help them," he said.

Earlier, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy had shown a pen drive to the press, which he claimed contained an audio clip of a conversation of a minister who had engaged in corruption. Replying to this, the Speaker said that there is no way to display any such thing in the House.