Karnataka BJP chief urges speaker to revoke suspension of 18 MLAs

Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Saturday urged Speaker U T Khader to withdraw the suspension order of 18 legislators. On Friday, the Assembly suspended the BJP MLAs for a period of six months. They climbed on the podium where the Speaker was sitting and tossed papers at him in protest of the 4% reservation bill for Muslims in public contracts.

Addressing reporters at the BJP state office, Jagannath Bhavan, Vijayendra said, "We urge the Speaker to revoke the suspension. We also condemn the decision to suspend BJP legislators, which is entirely illegal, unconstitutional, unilateral, and arbitrary." The Shikaripura MLA stated that the BJP opposes the government’s decision to grant reservations as "an appeasement to minorities." "We will fight against this bill both inside and outside the House and take it to a logical conclusion," he said.

Vijayendra also announced the launch of a statewide awareness campaign against the bill, minority appeasement, and what he described as "the humiliation of Hindus."