Yeddy ready for debate on all scandals
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

BANGALORE, Jul 29:  Stung by the series of land scams and other allegations raised by the opposition Congress and JD(S) parties in both houses of Karnataka legislature, chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has offered to convene a special five-day session of the state legislature in September for a Comprehensive debate on all the scandals.

"I am ready for a discussion on all scandals that occurred during the tenure of the previous governments as well as the one-year BJP rule,’’ he said in the state assembly on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister, who was upset by JD(S) leader H D Revanna’s remark that the Government was trying to cover up scams by denying the opposition an opportunity to discuss the State budgetary demands, said two out of the five days of the special session would be exclusively devoted to discuss the various allegations raised by the opposition parties.

"This is a transparent government. We are committed to our promise to provide a clean and responsive administration,’’ he said pointing out that the government was ready to devote three of the five days of the special session proposed to be held in September would be utilised for discussing the rural development programmes.

While the opposition had every right to criticise and even haul up the government if it was guilty of any irregularities, the chief minister said the people had a right to know the truth. ``Let all details come out so the public could make their own decisions,’’ he said.

Both the Congress and JD(S) opposition members attacked the government for curtailing discussion on the demands for grants pertaining to various departments by deliberately summoning the session in July without allowing sufficient time for discussion, even as the house adopted the supplementary demands for grants and appropriation bill by voice vote.

The chief minister said former President A P J Abdul Kalam’s Provision for Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) programme would be also widely debated in September. The session dates would be decided after consultation with Opposition leaders in the legislature, he said.

Yeddyurappa said the legislature session would be convened for 60 days from next year and appealed to the Opposition to commence debate on various demands of different departments.

Congress opposition leader Siddaramaiah said, ``we are ready even for a 10-day session in September. The House should meet at least 60 days a year,’’ he said.

Earlier, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar said "the quality of debate and not the quantity in terms of number of days of session is important" and blamed the Opposition for the delay in the commencement of the discussion of budgetary demands.