Belagavi: In a surprise move, the BJP showed intent to table the anti-conversion bill in the Karnataka Legislative Council for discussion, though it did not have majority in the House, but the Congress members were in no mood for a discussion today, but tomorrow.
Later, the House decided to defer the bill for next session after ruling and opposition leaders decided on it after a meeting in the chamber of Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti. The House deferred the bill for discussion in the next session.
Soon after the proceedings resumed for the post-lunch session, Leader of the House Kota Srinivas Poojary sought permission of the chair to table the bill in the House for discussion, but the members of the Opposition, especially Congress opposed the move, saying it can be tabled tomorrow.
The ruling party members argued that the bill cannot be taken up tomorrow due to the Christmas holiday. Some members urged the chair to hold discussion on issues pertaining to North Karnataka, instead of the bill.
After a brief pandemonium in the House, Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti summoned both leaders of ruling and opposition, Poojary and SR Patil, to his chamber for resolving the issue.
Resuming after the brief break, Poojary announced that the party would table the bill in the next session.
Later, the House was adjourned sine die. Earlier in the day, Assembly also was adjourned sine die.
As of now, the BJP does not have a majority in the Upper House to pass the bill and send it for President Ram Nath Kovind's assent.
BJP hopes to pass the bill in the Upper House during the joint session to be held in January as it will have 37 members and needs a single vote in its favor. It has the options for convincing Lakhan Jarkiholi, who won the MLC election on an Independent ticket after BJP had denied him an opportunity to contest as the second preferential candidate in Belagavi constituency.
The ruling party also has the option of seeking the support of JDS members to pass the bill as it had backed its member Horatti to become the Legislative Council Chairman.
Yesterday, the bill was passed in the assembly amidst protests by Congress members alleging that it is unconstitutional, while BJP exposed the dual policy of the main opposition party by producing the documents in the House that mentioned Opposition Leader Siddaramaiah's intent to bring in the bill for cabinet approval in the capacity of chief minister in 2016.
The BJP claimed that the present bill which they introduced in the House was an improvement on the previous bill that was drafted by Siddaramaiah's government.
However, Siddaramaiah argued that merely bringing the 2016 bill for discussion in the cabinet does not show intent of the then government to introduce it in the assembly.