Bengaluru: The suspension of 18 BJP MLAs from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, which had been in effect for six months, has been officially revoked, announced Speaker U.T. Khader on Sunday.
This decision comes more than two months after the initial suspension, which was enacted on March 21 due to allegations of “indiscipline” and “disrespect” towards the Speaker. The announcement followed a meeting involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil.
In an unprecedented action, the 18 BJP MLAs were suspended and subsequently forcefully evicted from the Assembly by marshals when they refused to leave. Speaker Khader explained, “While I proposed the suspension, it was ultimately approved by the House through a resolution. Today, after discussions with the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Law Minister, and Leader of the Opposition, we have decided to revoke the suspension and lift the specified conditions, allowing them to resume their duties as legislators.”
Addressing reporters, Khader expressed his satisfaction with the decision, stating, “The suspension has been revoked without any conditions. These legislators are our colleagues, not adversaries; the incident occurred in a moment of heightened emotions. To prevent such occurrences in the future, I felt compelled to take decisive action.” He further noted that the legislators have acknowledged their mistakes and understand the potential consequences of their actions, including the inability to participate in legislative committee meetings and official tours, which could lead to embarrassment.
As Speaker, Khader emphasized his responsibility to uphold the dignity of all MLAs. “I am confident that they will not repeat such behavior. With this trust in them, I have decided to revoke the suspension,” he stated, adding that the decision will be formally ratified by the House in the upcoming session.
The incident that led to the suspension of several BJP MLAs occurred on the final day of the assembly’s budget session. This event followed a significant protest by BJP legislators against the allocation of a 4 percent reservation for Muslims in public contracts, as well as demands for a judicial investigation into an alleged “honey-trap” attempt involving Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna. During the protest within the Assembly, some BJP MLAs ascended the podium and surrounded the Speaker’s chair, while others threw papers at the Speaker. As a result, marshals were compelled to forcibly remove the BJP legislators from the vicinity of the Speaker’s chair.
Reflecting on the two months since the suspension, the Speaker noted that all legislators involved expressed regret over the incident, emphasizing that they did not intend to show any disrespect to the chair. He mentioned that C.N. Ashwath Narayan had reached out to him multiple times regarding this matter, submitting a letter of apology and assuring that such incidents would not recur. “He (Ashwath Narayan) requested that I reconsider the suspension to allow the legislators to fulfill their duties. He also communicated with the Chief Minister and the Law Minister about this issue. Additionally, the Governor, along with Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Shobha Karandlaje, and other senior leaders, have contacted me regarding this matter,” he elaborated.
Last month, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot wrote to both the Chief Minister and the Speaker, urging them to positively consider the request to revoke the suspension of the 18 BJP MLAs and to take the necessary steps in this regard.
The suspended Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) include BJP Chief Whip Doddanagouda Patil, former Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, S.R. Vishwanath, B.A. Basavaraju, M.R. Patil, Channabasappa, B. Suresh Gowda, Umanath Kotyan, Sharanu Salagar, Dr. Shailendra Beldale, C.K. Ramamurthy, Yashpal Suvarna, B.P. Harish, Bharath Shetty, Dheeraj Muniraju, Chandru Lamani, Muniratna, and Basavaraj Mattimud.
When questioned about whether the suspension was lifted due to concerns over potential legal challenges, Khader responded that such matters do not warrant discussion, emphasizing that the Speaker possesses certain authoritative powers. “When the time comes, we can discuss it. There has been a two-month window, and no one has taken any action,” he stated.
In response to inquiries regarding the Governor’s intervention and the BJP’s strategy to leverage the suspension in the upcoming session, the Speaker remarked, “I prefer not to delve into that. No one can directly interfere with the Speaker’s decisions. While suggestions and requests can be made, I have taken the recommendations into account positively.”
