BANGALORE: Two opposition parties - JD(S) and BJP - used two issues to take on the government in both Houses on Tuesday.
While principal opposition party JD(S) insisted that the government delete certain remarks related to Cauvery water in the governor's address, BJP sought to move an adjournment motion against the government for its decision to ban gutka in the state, but it was rejected by speaker Kagodu Thimmappa.
When it was allowed for discussion, BJP demanded immediate withdrawal of the government notification, asserting that it will hit arecanut growers. But chief minister Siddaramaiah ruled out withdrawing the notification as the government had complied with a Supreme Court directive.
The party's floor leader in the assembly chief minister Jagadish Shettar took exception to the government not taking the House into confidence before issuing the May 30 notification. He charged the government with taking a hasty decision and not thinking about its impact on arecanut farmers.
Visweshwara Hegde Kageri (BJP) said Karnataka accounts for 60% of the country's arecanut production and maintained there's nothing to suggest that arecanut is harmful. Kageri, a former minister who hails from Uttara Kannada district, a key producer of arecanut, alleged that a powerful lobby is behind the government's decision. What's needed is removal of harmful substances such as tobacco and nicotine from gutka, he felt.
In the council, opposition leader DV Sadananda Gowda said he doesn't oppose the ban but the government should have suggested alternatives to farmers before banning it. "Karnataka contributes a major share to the country's total arecanut output," he said.
While principal opposition party JD(S) insisted that the government delete certain remarks related to Cauvery water in the governor's address, BJP sought to move an adjournment motion against the government for its decision to ban gutka in the state, but it was rejected by speaker Kagodu Thimmappa.
When it was allowed for discussion, BJP demanded immediate withdrawal of the government notification, asserting that it will hit arecanut growers. But chief minister Siddaramaiah ruled out withdrawing the notification as the government had complied with a Supreme Court directive.
The party's floor leader in the assembly chief minister Jagadish Shettar took exception to the government not taking the House into confidence before issuing the May 30 notification. He charged the government with taking a hasty decision and not thinking about its impact on arecanut farmers.
Visweshwara Hegde Kageri (BJP) said Karnataka accounts for 60% of the country's arecanut production and maintained there's nothing to suggest that arecanut is harmful. Kageri, a former minister who hails from Uttara Kannada district, a key producer of arecanut, alleged that a powerful lobby is behind the government's decision. What's needed is removal of harmful substances such as tobacco and nicotine from gutka, he felt.
In the council, opposition leader DV Sadananda Gowda said he doesn't oppose the ban but the government should have suggested alternatives to farmers before banning it. "Karnataka contributes a major share to the country's total arecanut output," he said.
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