Karnataka Speaker fumes over absence of ministers, says ‘they can’t take the House lightly’

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday took strong exception to the absence of several ministers in the House, saying its proceedings could not be taken "lightly." An angry Kumar went to the extent of naming the ministers absent and said the Speaker and Chair cannot be taken for granted.

"I will give 15 minutes, this will be viewed very seriously, they cannot take the House lightly," he said, as he directed the ruling side to ensure that ministers are present in the House.

Irked by the ministers' absence during the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the joint session of the state legislature, the Speaker said 13 ministers should have been present in the House according to the official list sent to his office.

"Only six ministers are present in the House, where have the rest seven gone?" he questioned. He called out the names of ministers present.

Deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, Cooperation minister Bandeppa Kashyampur, Horticulture minister M C Manguli, Social Justice minister Priyank Kharge, Minor Irrigation minister C SPuttaraju and Health minister Shivanand Patil were present in the House.

Naming those absent, Kumar asked where PWD minister H D Revanna, Irrigation minister D K Shivakumar, Municipality and Local Bodies minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries minister Venkata Rao Nadagouda, Housing minister U T Khader, Tourism and Sericulture minister Sa Ra Mahesh, and Food and Civil Supplies minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, had gone.

"Please tell your people (ministers)...What better work do they have than being here?" he said as he asked Deputy chief minister Parameshwara to take note. The ministers later attended the proceedings.