Karnataka CM threatens demonstration in front of Parliament

Under fire from the Opposition Congress in Karnataka over the continuing scarcity of fertilizers in the state, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has sought to turn the tables by threatening to stage a demonstration in front of the Parliament House in New Delhi in protest against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) failure to rush stocks.

Clearly irked by the Opposition Congress for stalling the proceedings of the on-going Legislature session over the fertilizer issue, Yeddyurappa blamed the Federal Government for the shortage of fertilizers in Karnataka and threatened to lead his Cabinet colleagues to New Delhi and sit in protest in front of the Parliament House.

The entire blame for the fertilizer scarcity in the State should go to the Federal Government, which failed to honour its assurance to supply the required stock, he said even as Congress members, who had gathered in the well of the House, refused to resume their seats and allow the proceedings of the Assembly to continue.

“If you (Congress) politicize the fertilizer scarcity issue and stage a protest here, we will also politicize the matter by staging a demonstration in front of the Parliament House”, Yeddyurappa said. “I will expose the Congress on the issue by taking with me all the 31 Ministers and sitting in protest before the Parliament House”, he warned.

The Chief Minister’s threat came after the Congress members ignored Speaker Jagadish Shettar’s repeated appeals to return to their seats and allow the proceedings to continue.
Meanwhile, the shortage of fertilizers in the state continued to cause unrest among the farmers, who have begun resorting to suicide. Two more farmers were reported to have committed suicide by consuming poison in Mysore district on Thursday.