Belagavi, Dec 18 (IANS) Condemning the passage of the controversial Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025, on Thursday amid chaos and without debate by Opposition members in the state Assembly, Leader of Opposition and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader R. Ashoka demanded that the matter be handed over to the state Legislative Committee.

Speaking on the floor of the Assembly, BJP leader Ashoka said, “At the very time of passing the Bill, politics of hatred is being pursued. We are demanding that the Bill be referred to the Legislative Committee. We have faith in you (the Speaker). You must convince the state government in this regard.”

At this point, Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader asked opposition leaders, who were protesting in the well of the House, to return to their seats.

BJP leader Ashoka responded that the Assembly Speaker was taking sides.

“They (the Congress-led government) are trying to take the state back to the 1980s and impose an Emergency-like situation. Since our request has not been considered, we will stage a walkout,” he said.

BJP and JD-S members then walked out of the Assembly, raising slogans of “Speaker one side”.

Speaker Khader said that he had waited for nearly 15 minutes for Opposition leaders in the state to calm down.

“I repeatedly asked MLAs to calm down. Don’t you want to respect the Speaker’s words?” he asked.

Addressing the Opposition MLAs, State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil said, “Even if it is a question of self-respect, the rules of the House should not be violated. The Bill has already been passed. The Leader of the Opposition should clarify what is expected now. Since it has already been passed in the House, the matter should end here. Whenever the Opposition leader or the Chief Minister speaks, members should not disturb them. That discipline must be maintained.”

The Karnataka Assembly earlier on Thursday passed the controversial Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025, amid chaos and without debate by Opposition members.

Strongly objecting to the manner in which the Bill was taken up, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka tore a copy of the Bill on the floor of the House.

Amid uproar and strong opposition by BJP and JD-S MLAs, Speaker Khader put the Bill to vote and announced that it had been passed.

The BJP MLAs raised slogans, alleging that the Assembly Speaker was acting improperly and setting a bad precedent.

Reiterating his objection, BJP leader Ashoka said, “I have not completed my speech on the Hate Speech Regulation Bill. We are prepared to speak on the Bill. Curtailing the rights of Opposition members is not a good tradition. Please rethink and allow the discussion to take place.”

–IANS

mka/khz