Congress members continuing to refuse asking questions to six Ministers, who went to court seeking restraint on airing of content in CDs that they said had been fabricated, led to an uproar in the Legislative Council with both treasury and Opposition Benches sparring.
It all started when Congress Chief Whip M. Narayanaswamy refused to ask a question to Health and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar. He asked if the Ministers had done no wrong and if so, why had they gone to court. The Congress has decided not to ask any questions to these Ministers, he said. This sparked angry reactions from the treasury Benches, including Mr. Sudhakar, Shivaram A. Hebbar, K.C. Narayan Gowda, and B.C. Patil, all of whom have approached the court. They pointed out that the Opposition cannot ask why they approached the court.
Chairman Basavaraj Horatti intervened in the verbal duel and reminded Mr. Gowda that he was not a mere member to raise his voice, but a Minister, who has to maintain decorum in the house. However, the trading of charges continued from both sides, and the house drowned in a din.
While the Ministers said the Opposition was raising the issue again and again, they also said that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were also on bail, drawing angry reactions from the Congress. Leader of the Opposition S.R. Patil said that since the two leaders were not the members of the House, it was not proper to take their names.
Mr. Horatti ruled it was the right of the member whether to ask a question or not.
