Sparks fly over six Ministers in Karnataka legislature

Sparks continued to fly in both the Assembly and the Council over the decision of the Opposition Congress not to pose questions to the six Ministers who have got an injunction order against the publishing of any defamatory material about them in the media.

In the Assembly, Congress member P.T. Parameshwar Naik’s decision not to ask a question to Minister for Planning K.C. Naranayana Gowda triggered a heated exchange between him and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Mr. Naik said the six Ministers had no moral right to continue in office as they had gone to court for a media gag order, following the alleged sex-for-job scandal involving Ramesh Jarkiholi. But Mr. Bommai defended the Ministers’ right to “protect their dignity”. Later in the day, Congress member Eshwar Khandre demanded that the government opt for a High Court-monitored probe into the CD scandal.