The three BJP ministers who outraged a nation and embarrassed their party and government, after being caught watching porn on a cellphone while the Karnataka assembly was in session on Tuesday, resigned on Wednesday after they received their marching orders from the BJP’s central leadership.
Soon after a hastily convened party meet, the Co-operation minister Laxman Savadi, Ports, Science and Technology minister, Krishna Palemar and Women and Child Development minister, C.C. Patil whose claim to fame before this was his infamous “Women invite rape and sexual harassment when they dress provocatively,” quote, put in their papers, all the while keeping up the charade that they had done so voluntarily.
This, despite the fact that BJP national president said on Wednesday that he had asked both state chief minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda and state party chief K. Eshwarappa to sack the ministers. However Mr Savadi, Mr Patil and Mr Palemar told reporters: “We did not want the party and the government to face further embarrassment. All of us have decided to resign. We have handed over our resignation letters to Chief Minister with a request to accept it.”
The ruling party’s damage control exercise failed to satisfy the opposition Congress and Janata Dal (S) who demanded that the trio be disqualified. Both Houses of the legislature were in session, and witnessed complete bedlam with opposition parties seeking a debate followed by strident calls for the ministers’ removal from the Legislative Assembly.
In a bid to salvage some pride, Speaker K.G. Bopaiah barred the three from entering the house for a period of one month. In the midst of ruckus on the floor of the House on Wednesday afternoon, the Speaker announced the constitution of a house committee comprising six members from the opposition and ruling party.
After conducting the enquiry, the committee will submit its report on or before March 12, 2012. The report of the committee will be placed in the Assembly and be circulated to the members. Till the committee submits its report, the three former ministers are barred from the house, the Speaker said. The three were served a showcause notice seeking an explanation before February 13, the speaker said.
Sources in the ruling BJP said that though Mr Bopaiah was planning to suspend the MLAs, he had to yield to pressure from former CM, B.S. Yeddyurappa who strongly opposed the party making any move to punish his staunch supporters, two of who hail from the powerful and wealthy Lingayat community.
Dissatisfied with the unilateral announcement, the opposition continued its dharna when the lower House was adjourned sine die. The Congress has decided to launch a state-wide agitation, opposition leader, Siddaramaiah said.
