Opposition Congress members commenced a dharna in the well of the House on December 17 demanding sacking of Urban Development Minister Bhyrati Basavaraj and a discussion on the FIR filed against him and BJP MLC R. Shankar on the direction of a court in connection with allegations of land-grabbing.

The Congress had sought to discuss the issue in the form of an adjournment motion that has a censuring clause. However, Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri did not permit them to raise the issue on the ground that the matter is sub-judice.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J. C. Madhuswamy endorsed the Speaker’s stand.

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah sought to remind the speaker and Mr. Madhuswamy that when the BJP was in the opposition, the party had debated the issue of unanatural death of police officer Ganapathy even though the issue was before a court. The then Home Minister and Congress leader K. J. George had resigned over the episode, he pointed out.

Countering the argument, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the FIR had been filed against Mr. Bhyrati Basavaraj on a private complaint unlike the unnatural death of Ganapathy. The Chief Minister maintained that allowing discussion on issues that have cropped up due to private complaints would lead to unhealthy developments.

Congress members accused the BJP government of lacking morality.

But the Chief Minister insisted that permission to debate the issue was being denied on the basis of legality.

This angered Congress members who trouped into the well of the House and commenced a dharna demanding resignation of Bhyrati Basavaraj and a debate on the issue. When the Congress members refused to withdraw their dharna, the speaker adjourned the House till December 20.