DK Shivakumar Slams BJP Ahead of Planned Vidhana Soudha Protest

Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday accused Opposition parties of disrupting the proceedings of the Karnataka Legislature in Bengaluru, asserting that they lacked the courage to take on the Congress government on the floor of the House.

Shivakumar alleged that the Opposition was targeting the Congress government out of resentment over the emergence of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe leaders within the party. He stated that 16 SC and ST legislators have been elected from the Congress, claiming that the Opposition was unhappy because it had failed to produce such leaders.

The comments came in response to the BJP’s plans to stage a protest at Vidhana Soudha on Monday demanding the resignation of Planning and Statistics Minister B Nagendra.

Addressing the planned agitation, Shivakumar said there is an established legal framework for demonstrations, but accused the Opposition of indulging in hooliganism and disrupting proceedings without serving prior notice.

He maintained that while there was nothing wrong with the Opposition staging a protest, it should properly submit notice and seek a discussion on the issue, adding that they lacked the patience to debate why the minister should resign.