Bengaluru: Congress, BJP Face Off in Assembly Over Emergency Issue

Bengaluru: The ruling Congress and the main opposition BJP clashed in the Assembly on Tuesday over the issue of Emergency and the protection of the Constitution, leading to a heated debate and the adjournment of the House proceedings.

The debate began when Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivkumar praised the Speaker, UT Khader, for installing a plaque with the Preamble to the Constitution inside the Assembly, and took a jibe at Leader of the Opposition, R Ashok, and the BJP. Shivkumar said that the Speaker's concern for the protection of the Constitution was praiseworthy, and Ashok and the BJP should congratulate him.

Ashok retaliated, accusing the Congress of murdering democracy by imposing Emergency in 1975. Shivkumar countered, saying that after Emergency, Congress leaders like Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao, and Manmohan Singh became Prime Ministers. S Suresh Kumar, a BJP MLA, said that he was a victim of the Emergency and sarcastically remarked that he was a "guest" at the High Grounds Police Station.

Congress MLAs, including Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, took objection to Suresh Kumar's statement, claiming that the country has been under undeclared Emergency for the past 10 years. Some Congress MLAs also referred to the Godhra incident and accused the BJP-led NDA government of misusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The debate became more intense, with both sides trading charges. Suresh Kumar targeted leaders who defended the Emergency, while Gundu Rao and other Congress ministers attacked the Central government. Speaker Khader tried to calm down the situation, but the debate continued.

Khader mentioned that during the Emergency, smugglers had a free run from Gujarat to Kerala, and Indira Gandhi had put him in jail. This led to protests from senior BJP leaders, including Araga Jnanendra, who said that the Speaker should not defend the Emergency, which was a misuse of the Constitution.

The debate continued, with Ashok saying that the Speaker should not defend the Emergency, and Khader responding that both sides should be heard. BJP MLA Harish Poonja asked if the Congress government had to impose Emergency to arrest Haji Mastan.

In the midst of the uproar, Congress MLA Rajegowda allegedly used abusive language against Poonja, which was expunged by the Speaker. However, BJP MLAs demanded an apology from the Congress MLA, which led to further chaos. When the situation did not improve, Khader adjourned the House proceedings for some time.