Karnataka Governor walks out of joint legislature session
Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot walked out of the House after reading out only two lines of his customary speech prepared by the Cabinet during the joint session of the state Assembly Thursday.
After the Governor’s walkout, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said they were considering moving the Courts, as the Governor had violated his Constitutional obligation.
Out of the 43-page speech, Gehlot read only the opening two lines and the final line. His address lasted less than two minutes, after which the Governor concluded his speech.
“I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State Legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this August house,” the first two lines of the speech. “Overall, my Government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the state’s economic, social and physical development,” was the last line Gehlot read in Hindi.
He faced protests from Congress legislators, including MLCs BK Hariprasad and S Ravi, who were unhappy that the Governor failed to read out the full speech prepared by the state Cabinet. Shouting slogans, the Congress legislators followed the Governor as he walked out of the Assembly.
Speaking to reporters after sending the Governor off, Siddaramaiah said he would hold talks with Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister H K Patil and others about approaching the courts over the issue. “The Governor has acted like a puppet of the Union government. The Union government, to hide their mistakes, has forced them to read another speech. This is anti-constitutional,” he said, adding that it violated Articles 176 and 163 of the Constitution.