I have no role in toppling game, let SIT probe it, says Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar

Bengaluru: “People look up to parliament in times of political, economic and moral crisis. A political crisis can be resolved through adjustments and economic crisis with some fine financial practices. But moral bankruptcy is a difficult one. When the legislature is corrupt, it is end of the state,” said an emotional Speaker Ramesh Kumar in the legislative assembly on Monday, quoting former parliament Public Accounts Committee chairma, Errachelian.

His reference was to the audio tape released by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy recently, which claims that he too had been bought over by the Bharatiya Janata Party as part of its game to topple the coalition government in the state. Strongly denying his involvement, the Speaker made it clear he wanted the matter probed thoroughly by a Special Investigation Team.

He went on to recall the incident of the then Mumbai MP, H.G. Mudgal, who was charged with receiving gratification to help the Bombay bullion market in 1953. “Realising that the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru was moving a resolution to expel him, Mr Mudgal tendered his resignation. When the question of expelling the member came up, Mr Nehru amended the resolution stating that the resignation in anticipation of expulsion aggravated the offence and amounted to contempt of the House,” he said.

Mr Ramesh Kumar also recalled his opposition to the Ramakrishna Hegde government’s decision to bring in a bill codifying privileges following a series of articles against it in Lankesh Patrike.

“When the bill was tabled in the House, I opposed it pointing out that it was not discussed by the legislature party. So it was brought before it and I provided documentary evidence to show that it could not be codified. Privilege is an invisible conduct, which cannot have proper definitions,” he reasoned.