The Karnataka Assembly erupted into unprecedented turmoil as Speaker UT Khader suspended 18 BJP MLAs for six months, citing gross indiscipline and severe disruption of the House proceedings. The decision, announced on Friday, followed chaotic scenes where BJP members stormed the well of the House, climbed onto the Speaker's dais, and hurled documents, defying repeated warnings to maintain decorum. Marshals were deployed to remove the protesting MLAs, including senior figures like Opposition Chief Whip Doddanagouda H Patil, CN Ashwath Narayan, SR Vishwanath, and BA Basavaraj.
The suspension order prohibits the MLAs from entering the Assembly hall, lobbies, and galleries. They are barred from attending committee meetings, initiating any legislative business, or having matters listed under their names on the agenda. They will also forfeit daily allowances and lose voting rights in committee elections for the duration of the suspension. Speaker Khader defended his decision, stating that such unprecedented measures were necessary to prevent the House from descending into "mob rule" and to uphold the dignity of the legislature.
The uproar stemmed from two explosive issues that dominated the day's proceedings — a honey-trap scandal allegedly involving high-profile politicians and a controversial amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, proposing a four per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts.
Cooperative Minister KN Rajanna ignited the first controversy by alleging that around 48 politicians, including central figures, were ensnared in an elaborate honey-trap operation designed to blackmail and manipulate leaders. Enraged BJP MLAs, waving CDs they claimed held damning evidence of coercion, demanded an immediate, high-level inquiry. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responded by assuring the Opposition that no one, regardless of position or party affiliation, would be shielded. He pledged to launch an independent probe if a formal complaint was lodged.
Simultaneously, the House witnessed fiery exchanges over the Congress government's proposed amendment to the KTPP Act. The bill aims to reserve four per cent of civil works contracts up to ₹2 crore and goods/services contracts worth up to ₹1 crore for individuals from Category 2B (Muslims). The BJP slammed the proposal as unconstitutional, alleging it promoted religion-based discrimination. They vowed to challenge it legally, calling it a blatant attempt to appease minorities for electoral gains.
Confusion escalated when a finance bill, unrelated to the reservation proposal, was mistakenly perceived by the BJP MLAs as the controversial bill. In the ensuing commotion, BJP members ripped up the bill and hurled its pages in protest, leading to their immediate ejection from the Assembly.
The suspension of 18 Opposition MLAs — a significant portion of the BJP’s representation — shifts the power dynamics within the Assembly, providing the Congress government with a smoother legislative path. With fewer BJP members present, the ruling party faces less resistance in passing key bills, which could profoundly impact state policies in the coming months.
The BJP swiftly condemned the suspensions as a "dictatorial move," arguing that the Congress is silencing dissent and bulldozing the Opposition. Senior BJP leaders accused the Siddaramaiah government of orchestrating the chaos to divert attention from corruption allegations and the honey-trap scandal, framing the suspensions as an attack on democracy itself.
On the other hand, Congress leaders maintain that disciplinary action was unavoidable, asserting that the BJP’s actions crossed all boundaries of parliamentary conduct. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar remarked that "the Assembly is a temple of democracy, not a playground for unruly behavior." He added that the government remains committed to transparency, vowing that both the honey-trap allegations and the reservation bill would be addressed without political bias.
The political landscape in Karnataka now stands deeply polarized. The BJP is expected to escalate its protests statewide, framing the suspensions as evidence of Congress’s alleged authoritarianism. Meanwhile, the Congress looks to capitalize on the weakened BJP presence in the Assembly to advance its legislative agenda. The coming weeks may see intensifying street protests, court battles, and public rallies as both parties dig in for a protracted showdown.
