Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar, at the centre of the political storm in the state, jokingly suggested on Tuesday that he should not be judged on the basis of his “booming voice”.
“When I speak, I do so in my booming voice. My father’s voice was also like this,” the Congress veteran who takes pride in his rustic roots said, alluding to the BJP’s allegation that he is arrogant and does not listen to anyone.
A day before the Supreme Court hears a petition by dissident MLAs of the ruling combine seeking a direction to him to accept their resignations, Speaker Kumar said he would react to the hearing only after an order is delivered on Wednesday.
After almost two weeks of hectic political activities, Kumar found time on Wednesday to tour his constituency, Srinivasapura in Kolar district. “I will react after the Supreme Court order tomorrow after seeing what the final order is,” he said when asked about the apex court hearing on Wednesday.
“I am working according to what the Constitution is saying. On the rest of the issues, I don’t have any right as the Speaker. I am not against anyone,” Kumar said.
“Where is the Supreme Court, where am I. I have great respect for the Supreme Court and I don’t question them,” he said. The court said on Wednesday that neither the Speaker nor the Congress-JDS combine could question its jurisdiction to entertain the petition filed by the legislators.
Kumar had said that he would go by the book while deciding on the resignations and that the Speaker was the constitutional authority to take a call on whether a quit plea was submitted under pressure and whether it was genuine.
Kumar had to adjourn the session till Thursday, when chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has sought a trust vote, after the BJP decided to boycott the Assembly till the process was held.
While the BJP wanted the trust vote to be conducted on Monday, Kumar went by the chief minister’s choice since Kumaraswamy was the first to seek a vote.
On his off day on Wednesday, Kumar toured his constituency and took to task health officials who had failed to stock medicines to treat viral fever and dengue.
Kannada channels played footage showing Kumar shouting at health officials at the general hospital in Srinivasapura. He is expected to be back in Bangalore on Wednesday evening.
Lawmakers of the Congress, JDS and the BJP remained sequestered in various holiday resorts around the city. They were sent to the resorts on Friday when the Speaker announced the trust vote.
The BJP on Wednesday came out in defence of a Congress dissident who had been detained by police over a financial fraud case.
Until recently its arch-rival, Roshan Baig entered the BJP’s good books with his pro-Narendra Modi comments and for asking Muslims to support the NDA after the debacle of the Congress-JDS in the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.
The special investigation team probing the fraud had detained Baig just before he was to board a chartered flight from Bangalore international airport to Pune late on Monday night.
The absconding founder-managing director of I Monetary Fund, an investment firm, has alleged that Baig had borrowed Rs 400 crore from him. Baig was questioned overnight and released.
“This government is victimising those who have resigned. Otherwise, they should have arrested (Congress minister) Zameer Ahmed also,” senior BJP leader B.S. Eshwarappa told reporters.
An audiotape attributed to I Monetary Fund MD Mohammad Mansoor Khan mentions alleged dealings with Zameer Ahmed, who has said he once sold a piece of land to Mansoor Khan.
After being released, Baig said he was free to travel anywhere. “The SIT has clarified that I can travel anywhere in the country. I am ready to cooperate with the SIT and clear my name,” he said.
