While people in various cities across the state hit the road to protest rape incidents in the state, there was another drama unfolding in the Legislative Assembly. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators were up in arms in the assembly demanding the government to punish the guilty involved in the rape incidents and the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was seen napping in the House on Friday.
It is not only the chief minister, but minister for Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake was also seen napping while minister for power DK Shivakumar was busy discussing something with JD(S) legislators. Some of the references made by BJP MLA Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri made Congress legislators shouting against him but Siddaramaiah was seen undisturbed. After some time, Siddaramaiah announced that the government would take all measures to punish the guilty.
"I have told the home ministry to register a first information report (FIR) against the police inspector. You should appreciate us for taking such measures. This the first time in history of Karnataka that a FIR is going to be registered against a police officer under Section 166A of IPC," Siddaramaiah said.
When the BJP members raised the issue of miscreants barging into a nunnery at Hennur Bande and raping a 16-year-old novitiate on Wednesday, the chief minister lost his cool and shouted at the BJP members. "Don't try to politicise the issue. Some of you have been involved in rape cases,'' the chief minister shouted.
Expressing displeasure over the chief minister's perfunctory reply, BJP legislators staged a walk out from the House.
When House assembled in the morning, BJP legislators entered the House by tying black scarf to their hands and raised the issue of rape cases. BJP and JD(S) legislators demanded the Speaker to allow the House to discuss the rape cases. When the Speaker rejected BJP legislators' demand, all of them rushed into the well of the House and shouted slogans against the government. At this juncutre, the Speaker adjourned the House for 30 minutes.
When the House re-assembled, the Speaker allowed BJP members to make preliminary submission on the issue of alleged increase in cases of rape and sexual assault against women. BJP legislator Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri spoke about the deteriorating law and order in the state and demanded Home Minister KJ George's resignation. Kageri said 10 cases of rape have been reported during the last week in different parts of the state.
Former minister of law and parliamentary affairs S Suresh Kumar said a first standard student in a private school in Bangalore was sexually assaulted and irate parents barged inside the school building and vandalised it. Kumar demanded the government send a strong message to those involved in sexual assault cases.
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