Congress continues protest in Karnataka assembly, Speaker objects to slogans against RSS
Bengaluru(PTI): Protests by the Congress, who are demanding the sacking of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa and that he be booked for sedition over a statement on the national flag, continued to rock the Assembly proceedings in Karnataka for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.
The Assembly also saw passage of four bills amidst the din, and Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri took strong exception to Congress members "unnecessarily" bringing in RSS' name during their protest in the well of the House.
The 'day-and-night' protests by the legislators whereby they spend the night inside the Assembly began on Thursday demanding Eshwarappa's dismissal.
Recently, Eshwarappa had claimed 'Bhagwa dhwaj' (saffron flag) may become the national flag some time in the future and the same may be hoisted on the Red Fort then.
He however had said the tricolour is the national flag now, and it should be respected by everyone.
As the House met for the day, Congress members trooped into the well of the House and started shouting slogans demanding action against Eshwarappa.
Slogans like - "Down, down BJP", "Suspend Eshwarappa", "Eshwarappa desha drohi (traitor)", "Down Down desha drohi BJP government", "Speaker give justice", "This government is RSS' puppet", "We want constitution, not Manuvada" - among others marred the proceedings.
Despite protest, Speaker Kageri took up the question hour with no Congress legislator taking part in it.
Then, amidst the din, the assembly also passed four bills - The Karnataka Civil Services (Validation of Selection and Appointment of 2011 batch Gazetted Probationers) Bill, 2022; The Karnataka Stamp (Amendment) Bill, 2022; The Karnataka Stamp (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022; The Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 1944, (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2022 - without any discussions.
After the passage of bills, the Speaker asked former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah to participate in the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, and called on Congress members to go back to their seats, which went unheard by the principal opposition party members, who in turn demanded "justice" from him.
The Speaker said several attempts have been made by him for the smooth conduct of the proceedings of the house, by calling a meeting of the Leader of the House (CM Basavaraj Bommai) and Leader of Opposition, along with other senior leaders, but it has failed.
"Difference of opinion is common in a democracy, but we are duty bound to conduct the proceedings of this House. If the government has not agreed to your demands, protest outside and cooperate to run the House. We have to discuss developmental issues, issues of the people here," he said.
JD(S) deputy leader Bandeppa Kashempur said his party has 31 members and wants to raise several key issues concerning the people of the state and farmers, and they should be given an opportunity.
Meanwhile, when Congress members raised slogans taking the RSS' name, Speaker Kageri took strong exception to this. "I want to say to Congress members very strongly - unnecessarily, why are you bringing in the RSS' name. How is RSS responsible for this? Don't repeatedly bring RSS' name unnecessarily," he said.
"RSS is an organisation with a nationalist ideology, they are working towards uniting Hindus. You have to cooperate in their efforts. Don't bring RSS name, if you have political differences, set it right," Kageri added.
As chaos continued, the Speaker then adjourned the House for Tuesday.
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SGPC writes to Mann, seeks ban on 'Emergency' in Punjab a day before release
Amritsar, Jan 16 (PTI): The SGPC on Thursday wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, seeking a ban on the release of Kangana Ranaut's movie 'Emergency' saying it "tarnishes" the image of Sikhs and "misrepresents" history.
Actor and BJP MP Ranaut's 'Emergency' is slated to release in cinemas on January 17.
In the letter to Mann, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami expressed strong objection to Ranaut's film.
Dhami said that if the film is released in Punjab, it will spark "outrage and anger" in the Sikh community and therefore it is the responsibility of the government to ban its release in the state.
The SGPC, an apex gurdwara body, had earlier also protested the film.
"It has come to our attention that the movie 'Emergency' produced by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut is going to be released on 17th January 2025 in cinemas in different cities of Punjab and the tickets have also started to be booked," its letter to Mann read.
Dhami said the SGPC had also protested the release of the movie in a letter to the Punjab Chief Secretary on November 14 last year.
"But it is sad that the Punjab government has not taken any step till now. If this film is released on January 17, 2025, then it is natural to create outrage and anger in the Sikh world," the current letter read.
Dhami said the SGPC will submit a letter also to all the deputy commissioners in Punjab, seeking a ban on the film in the state.
The SGPC denounced the "character assassination" of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the Khalistani militant killed in 1984 in a military operation.
"If this film is released in Punjab, we will be forced to strongly oppose it at the state level," Dhami said.
In August last year, the SGPC sent a legal notice to the producers of the 'Emergency' film, alleging that it "misrepresented" the character and history of Sikhs, and asked them to remove the objectionable scenes depicting "anti-Sikh" sentiments.
In the notice, the producers of the film, including Kangana Ranaut, were asked to remove the trailer released on August 14 from all public and social media platforms and tender a written apology to the Sikh community.
The SGPC objected to film writing separate letters to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification.
