"People will teach a lesson": Karnataka DyCM Shivakumar accuses BJP of 'decimating democracy'

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 22 : As the tumultuous three weeks of the winter session of the Parliament witnessed the suspension of 146 MPs, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said that the people of the country would teach a lesson to the ruling party at the Centre - the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for 'decimating democracy'.
Speaking at an event organised by the Congress party to protest the suspension of 146 MPs, the Deputy CM said that the ruling party has become "very arrogant."

"The BJP has become very arrogant with victories in three states. The arrogance is shown in its undemocratic decision to suspend 146 MPs. The people of the country are watching and they will teach a lesson for decimating democracy. There have been many instances when people have voted differently for state elections and general elections. During Ramakrishna Hegde's period, the people of the State had voted differently in a general election just two months after the assembly elections," Shivakumar said.

He further said that the country needs to know how the BJP is 'finishing off' democracy.
"The opposition MPs were only demanding a detailed discussion on the Parliament security breach. Instead of openly discussing the serious incident, the BJP resorted to the suspension of 146 MPs. The Congress has organised events across the country to protest this murder of democracy. The people of the country need to know how BJP is finishing off democracy," he said.
Further, speaking to reporters after the protest, Shivakumar said that a report has been sought on the incident in which students were made to clean toilets in a city school.
"The incident has come to our notice. A meeting has been called to discuss this issue later in the day. The students are not meant to clean toilets and they should not be used for such purposes. We will not allow such things to happen. Culprits will not be spared," he said.
On being asked about former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy's statement that there are Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde in the Karnataka Congress, he said, "Kumaraswamy is a know-all. He knows astrology. I don't have the power to stop him speak, let him continue with his gems. He is unable to digest the fact that Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar are in power and hence is talking in desperation."
Notably, on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, two people jumped into the chamber of the Lower House of Parliament from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by MPs.
100 MPs were suspended from Lok Sabha, and another 46 from Rajya Sabha for unruly behaviour, disrupting proceedings by showing placards and raising slogans over the breach issue.
The suspensions come as opposition MPs have demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the security breach in Parliament.