BJP Dares Revanna to Prove Charges Against Speaker or Resign
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Oct 26: After the stout denial by Karnataka assembly speaker K G Bopaiah that he was drawing salaries for his post and that of the deputy speaker as well as alleged by JD(S) leader H D Revanna on Monday, it is now the turn of ruling BJP legislators to bat for the speaker.
State BJP General Secretary C T Ravi, who along with his MLA colleague Appachu Ranjan, as well as MLC G Madhusudhan, on Tuesday challenged Revanna to substantiate his charges that Bopaiah was drawing salaries and allowances of both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker’s post or else resign from the Assembly.
They said that charges made against the Speaker by Revanna were "politically motivated and far from truth."
"Let Revanna prove his charges with documentary evidence or he should resign from the Assembly," they said and declared that the Speaker would resign his post if the charges were proved.
On Monday, Revanna alleged that Bopaiah had drawn salaries of two months - November and December, 2009 - for both posts.
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Jagadish Shettar had resigned as Speaker on November 16, 2009. Bopaiah was Deputy Speaker then and became the Speaker on December 30, 2009.
BJP leaders termed Revanna’s allegations as ''baseless" and said the party is ready to conduct a probe into charges if the JD(S) leder demanded it.
''Bopaiah had not drawn salaries, house rent and vehicle allowances of two posts. The JD (S) wanted to tarnish the image of Bopaiah by leveling false charges,’’ they said.
The Karnataka High Court upheld several decisions taken by the Speaker and Revanna had shown disrespect to the constitutional office by framing baseless charges, the BJP legislators said and demanded a public apology from the JD (S) leader.
The Speaker discharged his duties as per the Constitution and taken steps to protect rights and privileges of all members of the Assembly since he assumed office.
The JD (S) leader wanted to settle political scores against the Speaker for disqualifying 11 BJP and 5 independent MLAs, they said.