Home India Politics Karnataka minister, opposition come close to blows in house

Karnataka minister, opposition come close to blows in house

By IANS,

Bangalore: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister and a few opposition members Thursday virtually came to blows in the legislative council over an opposition demand for a central probe into the affairs of a private trust run by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s family.

Excise Minister M.P. Renukacharya and a few opposition members were involved in heated arugments and were on the verge of exchanging blows.

However, their colleagues managed to cool them down.

The Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) stalled the council for the second day running Thursday, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Prerana Educational and Social Trust managed by Yeddyrappa’s two sons.

They claim that Yeddyurappa and his sons have made over Rs.27 crore in the last two years through the Prerana Educational and Social Trust by doling out favours to its donors.

As members of these two parties rushed towards the chairman’s podium, an angry Yeddyurappa ruled out any probe and lashed out at Congress for joining hands with ‘appa-makkala paksha (father and sons party)’, a reference to the JD-S.

“You have a 100 year history. How can you join hands with this ‘appa-makkala paksha’ which has looted Karnataka,” Yeddyurappa said.

The JD-S is made fun of as ‘appa-makkala paksha’ as its national president is former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda while his son H.D. Kumaraswamy is the state president.

Gowda’s another son H.D. Revanna is leader of the party in the assembly.

Amid the uproar, chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy announced that several bills had been passed and adjourned the house indefinitely.

The assembly was also adjourned indefinitely Wednesday after three days of uproar and stalling of the proceedings over the trust’s affairs.