Belagavi, Dec 11: Due to drought situation in majority of the districts in the state, people have been migrating to other places in search of jobs. But when Legislative Council Pro-tem Chairman Basavaraj Horatti rejected the adjournment motion presented by the Opposition BJP seeking time to discuss the issue, there was a war of words between the ruling and opposition party members in the Upper House on Tuesday.

As soon as the Session started on Tuesday morning, Horatti wanted to start question hour. But Kota Srinivas Poojary asked time to discuss the drought issue under Section 68 saying that they have to draw the attention of the government as more than 100 taluks were facing drought situation due to which people and livestock were facing drinking water problem and people have been migrating to other places in search of jobs. Objecting to this, Horatti said that the House should be conducted as per the norms. He would take up the question hour first and later, you will be permitted to discuss the drought issue. So, he would reject the proposal, he said.

Declining to accept it, Kota Srinivas Poojary said that there were instances where the chances were given to discuss such issues before the question hour. Previous Chairman had also given time to discuss the issue. Why you are rejecting the adjournment motion, he asked.

When the BJP members appealed the Chairman to reconsider his decision, JDS members objected it. Once the order is passed from the Chair, it is not good to stall the House proceedings. So, please take up the question hour, they appealed.

“I will give you the time after the question hour. It is not fair to question the decision of the Chair. First learn to respect the Chair”, Horatti said.

Irked by Horatti’s direction, Poojary said that they have not disrespected the Chair. There were instances where such decisions were reconsidered. So, do not curtail the rights of the Opposition leaders. If you stick to your words, they will become helpless, he expressed his helplessness.

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Bengaluru (PTI): A 59-year-old man was arrested for allegedly duping an Income Tax department official by posing as a "parrot astrologer" and promising career growth and better life through rituals, police said on Wednesday.

With the arrest of the accused astrologer Shekar, police claimed to have recovered gold ornaments weighing 124 grams and silver articles weighing 796 grams, with a total value of Rs 20.60 lakh.

The matter came to light after the victim, who is a senior administrative officer in the Income Tax department, lodged a complaint at Bharatinagar police station here on March 5, police said.

According to police, in the complaint, the victim stated that while passing near Sri Circle, he was approached by a person claiming to practise parrot astrology. The accused called him over, claimed he could predict the future by looking at his face, and convinced him to perform a ritual.

Initially, the accused collected Rs 50,000 from the complainant. Later, he allegedly told the victim that an elaborate ritual was necessary for career promotion, transfer, and overall improvement in life, and threatened that failure to do so would bring misfortune, he alleged.

"Under this pretext, the accused took 194 grams of gold ornaments and 1.3 kg of silver articles from the complainant, assuring they would be returned after the ritual," police said.

When the complainant later demanded the return of the valuables, the accused allegedly threatened him, they said.

During the investigation, police gathered credible information and apprehended the accused near Cantonment Railway Station on March 12 and upon interrogation, he confessed to committing the offence with the intention of making quick money, a senior police officer said.

He was produced before a court on March 13 and taken into police custody for five days.

During sustained questioning, the accused revealed that he had sold the stolen gold and silver items at a jewellery shop in Halasuru. Based on his information, police recovered 124 grams of gold ornaments and 796 grams of silver articles from the shop on March 15, valued at Rs 20.60 lakh, the officer said.

The accused was again produced before the court on March 17 and was remanded to judicial custody, he added.