Bengaluru: The state government has withdrawn suspension orders of 18 BJP MLAs on Sunday, May 25. This decision was taken in a mediation meeting held under the chairmanship of Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader.
The meeting, held earlier in the day, was attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also the Leader of the House, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Manappa Lamani, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil, and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka.
The suspension was imposed following an incident on March 21, when BJP members created a ruckus in the Assembly, protesting against 'honeytrap' allegations involving Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna. The BJP had demanded a CBI probe into the matter. During the protest, 18 BJP MLAs climbed onto the Speaker's podium, tore official documents, and threw papers, actions deemed as showing disrespect to the Chair.
In response to the disruption, Speaker U.T. Khader suspended the Chief Whip of the Opposition, Doddanagouda G. Patil, along with BJP members C.K. Ramamurthy, Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, S.R. Vishwanath, Byrati Basavaraj, M.R. Patil, S. N. Channabasappa, B. Suresh Gowda, Umanatha Kotian, Sharanu Salagar, Shailendra Beldale, Yashpal Suvarna, Harish B.P., Dr. Bharath Shetty, Munirathna, Basavaraj Mattimud, Dheeraj Muniraju, and Dr. Chandru Lamani for a period of six months.
Meanwhile, the suspended BJP MLAs had appealed to the Governor, stating that the suspension was obstructing them from performing their duties as elected representatives. They urged the Governor to direct the Speaker and the state government to revoke the suspension orders.
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Addis Ababa (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ethiopia on Tuesday on the second leg of his three-nation tour, aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.
Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali received PM Modi at the Addis Ababa International Airport. In a unique gesture, he also drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
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"Celebrating age-old India-Ethiopia ties! Prime Minister @narendramodi arrives in Addis Ababa on his maiden bilateral visit to Ethiopia. In a special gesture, PM @AbiyAhmedAli came to personally receive him at the airport. Prime Minister was accorded a warm and colourful welcome," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on social media.
"Ethiopia is a key partner for India in the Global South and a fellow BRICS Member," he added.
Modi will be holding wide-ranging discussions with his counterpart on all aspects of India–Ethiopia bilateral ties.
“As partners in the Global South, the visit will be a reiteration of the shared commitment of the two nations to advance close ties of friendship and bilateral cooperation,” a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said before his departure from India.
In his first visit to Ethiopia, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
He will also meet the Indian diaspora during the two-day visit.
Addis Ababa is also the headquarters of the African Union.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
