40% cut: Siddu for debate, Kageri says no

NT Correspondent

State Legislative Assembly Speaker Visveshwar Hegde Kageri on Wednesday rejected an adjournment motion moved by Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah regarding ‘40 per cent commission’ in government departments as alleged by Karnataka State Government Contractors Association recently.

During zero hour on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah wanted to move an adjournment motion and also make a preliminary submission contending that this was a serious issue. The Speaker said it cannot be allowed since there was no urgency and the issue was not something of public importance. The opposition leader could raise the issue in some other form, he said.

Disagreeing with this, Siddaramaiah tried to explain why the motion must be allowed but Kageri cut him short saying that since the motion had been rejected, there was no need for further discussion on the matter.

Revenue Minister R. Ashok said the opposition leader should know about the importance of an adjournment motion and it was not correct to talk on the basis of an allegation made by some people without evidence. Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy too contended that the adjournment motion should not be allowed since the allegations had been made in November last year and they were not backed by proof on the government’s omissions and commissions.

Former CM. Yediyurappa remarked that Siddaramaiah was starting a new precedent by questioning the Speaker’s decision and a senior member like him should not do it. When Siddaramaiah claimed that the government was wary of a discussion because it feared being exposed, CM Bommai said he was ready to face a debate when the opposition leader brought it in another form.