Karnataka BJP leaders meet Governor Gehlot seeking revocation of 18 MLAs from Assembly

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 28 (ANI): Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly R Ashoka met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Monday and sought his intervention to revoke the suspension of 18 party MLAs from the Legislative Assembly.
Ashoka said they had protested in the assembly during its session last month against four per cent reservation to Muslims in public contracts and had also sought a probe into alleged "honey-trap" attempts against Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna. He said the suspension of party MLAs from the assembly is hindering their work.
"We met the Governor. In the last session, the BJP had protested over Minister Rajanna's honeytrap issue and Muslim reservations. Speaker UT Khader's decision to suspend BJP MLAs for six months is an anti-democratic move. We have all seen Congress impose an Emergency in the country. People have voted for us to speak in the Assembly. This suspension is even hindering our daily work," Ashoka told reporters.
He noted that during BJP rule, Congress MLAs had stormed the Speaker's podium but the government had acted according to democratic principles.
"The opposition is as important as the ruling party. We have spoken to the Law Minister and the Speaker, demanding the withdrawal of this suspension order. The issue has been brought to the Governor's attention, and he has assured that he will speak to the Speaker and discuss the matter with the government," Ashoka said.
The Karnataka Speaker on March 21 suspended 18 BJP MLAs for six months for disrupting proceedings of the Assembly.
Dramatic scenes unfolded in the House and visuals showed House marshals picking up BJP MLAs and carrying them outside the House. Ruckus erupted in the Assembly as BJP MLAs entered the Well of the House and also tore and threw papers at the Speaker UT Khader's chair.
BJP had protested against a bill granting four per cent reservation to minorities including Muslims in public contracts. The bill was later passed by the Karnataka Assembly. (ANI)