During his response to the Governor's address, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented data suggesting an improvement in the state's law and order situation compared to the previous BJP administration. He cited reductions in various crime categories, including narcotics cases, murders, attempted murders, dacoity, robbery, rioting, chain-snatching, and atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. However, his commentary extended to a pointed critique of the RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP, which sparked immediate outrage from opposition members.
Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, swiftly demanded the retraction of Siddaramaiah's statements, asserting that the Chief Minister had overstepped parliamentary decorum. Ashoka emphasized the RSS's role in nation-building activities and noted that prominent national leaders, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, have roots in the organization. He insisted that the Speaker expunge the remarks from the official records.
The Assembly descended into chaos as BJP legislators vociferously protested, raising slogans against the Congress and referencing senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The uproar compelled the presiding officer to adjourn the House twice in an attempt to restore order.
Upon resumption, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended his statements, asserting that he had not employed unparliamentary language and merely expressed a hope that the RSS would refrain from inciting trouble in the state. He maintained that his remarks were within the bounds of parliamentary language but acquiesced to the Speaker's decision to expunge them from the records.
The confrontation intensified as BJP members accused the Siddaramaiah-led government of acting as an agent of organizations like the Social Democratic Party of India and the banned Popular Front of India by allegedly withdrawing criminal cases against their members. The Chief Minister categorically denied these allegations, stating, "We have not done anything like that. You only stand in support of those who give provocative statements."
The discord further escalated when BJP legislators accused the Congress government of diverting funds earmarked for the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan to finance their flagship guarantee schemes. This allegation led to a heated exchange, prompting Speaker U.T. Khader to intervene sternly. Frustrated by the disorder, Khader warned opposition members that he would be compelled to take disciplinary action if decorum was not restored, stating, "If you do not want to listen, leave the House. Otherwise, I have to throw you out."
The Speaker's admonition came after BJP MLA Harish Poonja refused to return to his designated seat, leading Khader to instruct him to "get out." Poonja protested the Speaker's directive, arguing that such language was unparliamentary and demanding its removal from the official records. Senior BJP MLA C.C. Patil supported Poonja, asserting that no Speaker had previously addressed members in such a manner.
The session also witnessed BJP legislators alleging that some Congress MLAs had disrespected the national flag by flaunting it inappropriately within the House. This accusation added to the tumult, with Congress members countering by accusing BJP legislators of recording videos inside the Assembly, a practice prohibited by House rules. The Speaker issued a warning against such activities, reminding members of the consequences faced by previous ministers who had violated similar protocols.
The day's proceedings underscored the deep-seated ideological rift between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP in Karnataka. The RSS, founded in 1925, has long been a polarizing entity in Indian politics, with critics accusing it of promoting a Hindu nationalist agenda, while supporters hail its contributions to social service and nation-building. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's critique of the RSS reflects ongoing tensions between secular and nationalist narratives within the state's political discourse.