The resignation of Santosh Lad from the state cabinet rocked the legislative council, which began its session at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Monday.
The house plunged into turbulence after opposition members congratulated the government for dropping Lad. As Congress members countered the veiled barbs from the opposition, strong verbal exchanges took place.
Leader of the opposition in the council, DV Sadananda Gowda, urged chairman DH Shankarmuthy to take up the question-hour, even while reminding the house that his party was determined to not allow proceedings for two days if Lad were not to be dropped. He asserted that opposition would get more opportunities to take the government to task over different issues in the coming days.
Congress leader Veeranna Mattikati recalled the BJP’s acts of past and warned not to forget the “loot” of 2 lakh tonnes of iron ore in its term, which led to its losing power.
The government is contemplating clamping the Goonda Act against offenders who were guilty of misappropriation under the Anna Bhagya scheme, food and civil supplies minister Dinesh Gundurao said.
Responding to a question from Raghunath Malkapure in the legislative council during the Question Hour, Dinesh Gundu Rao said the government proposed to amend the Act with the objective of utilising its provisions to curb misuse of Anna Bhagya scheme. He said legal experts would be consulted before a decision was taken on the matter.
Sadananda Gowda said Anna Bhagya scheme had become profitable for the black marketers.
“It is a good scheme that has been derailed during implementation,” he remarked.
JD(S) leader MC Nanaiah said the irregularities in food and civil supplies department could be curbed only by the Goonda Act, as the loot is an organised crime of mill owners, transporters and officials of the department.
Gundu Rao admitted that there were lots of irregularities in his department on distribution of ration cards. The government has started correcting process in the system.
