Belgaum: Former Chief Minister and KJP President BS Yeddyurappa was on Monday locked in a verbal duel with Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimappa and staged a dharna in the well of the House over Shaadi Bhagya yojana on the opening day of the winter session here.
Yeddyurappa urged the Speaker to allow him to raise the Shaadi Bhagya yojana under calling attention motion.
However, Thimappa refused to give in to KJP leader`s demand by saying that he cannot go against the precedent. "The motion should first be discussed in the House after it is permitted and without which a member cannot talk on the subject," he said.
Law Minister TB Jayachandra said as per rule, the notice for calling attention motion should be submitted an hour before the commencement of the House, but Yeddyurappa submitted it late.
Agitated over not being allowed to speak on his calling attention motion, Yeddyurappa trooped into the well of the House and sat on dharna before tearing apart the agenda copy.
"I have been on indefinite dharna in Bangalore since last 25 days demanding extension of Shaadi Bhagya yojana to all poor sections of the society. But, the government has not bothered to meet and discuss the issue. I am fighting for the poor and there is no self-interest in it. Now, you (Speaker) are also not allowing the issue, hence I am staging dharna," he said.
Yeddyurappa said the state government should extend the Shaadi Bhagya yojana to all communities, irrespective of any caste they belong to.
Yeddyurappa, who was on indefinite dharna at Mahatma Gandhi Statue in Bangalore since November one, has decided to continue his agitation in Belgaum city during the session period.
His other demand is to press for restoring rice and wheat supply to Above Poverty Line (APL) card-holders.
