Bengaluru, Apr 2 (UNI) Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra Yediyurappa on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress government, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of arrogance following the state government's decision to hike diesel prices by ₹2.
Addressing the media at Freedom Park, where BJP MLAs, MLCs, and former MLAs staged a protest, Vijayendra criticised the state government for being out of touch with the economic hardships faced by the common people.
"The arrogance of the Chief Minister is evident. The Congress government has taken this reckless decision without understanding ground realities. While sitting comfortably in air-conditioned rooms in Bengaluru, the Chief Minister and his cabinet fail to grasp the struggles of ordinary citizens," he stated.
The BJP leader demanded that Siddaramaiah and his ministers tour the state to witness firsthand the impact of their policies. "Only then will they comprehend the consequences of their actions," he added.
Vijayendra also announced that the BJP would intensify protests against the price hike, urging the government to roll back the decision in the interest of the public.
Raising concerns over the recent suspension of 18 BJP MLAs, Vijayendra termed the move "unprecedented and unconstitutional." He accused the Speaker of acting as an "agent of the Congress government" and called for the immediate revocation of the suspension.
"Suspending elected representatives for six months and restricting their legislative powers is absurd. While we respect the Speaker's chair, this decision should be withdrawn unconditionally," he asserted.
He further stated that unless the suspension was revoked, BJP MLAs and MLCs would boycott all committee meetings as a mark of protest.
Speaker UT Khader suspended 18 BJP MLAs for six months, citing "disrespect to the Chair" and conduct that undermined parliamentary traditions.
The legislators had stormed the Speaker's podium, hurled papers at him, and disrupted proceedings while protesting against the 4% reservation granted to Muslims in government tenders. They also demanded a judicial probe into Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna's allegations that 48 politicians, including himself, were targets of honey-trap attempts.
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