Cong boycotts session addressed by Birla in K'taka Assembly

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday boycotted the session which was addressed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The Opposition party has criticised the move of the Lok Sabha Speaker addressing a joint session of the Karnataka legislature by saying that protocol has been breached as only the President or the Governor should address a joint session.

"The Karnataka government is creating a bad precedent by calling the Speaker to the assembly. Vidhana Soudha can't be used for a political angle. The party has decided to boycott. This is unwarranted. In the history of Karnataka, no one except the President or the Governor can come and address. We condemn it," Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was dismissive of the Congress's stand. "The Lok Sabha Speaker has addressed many assemblies, including in Congress-governed states. The Congress never believed in democracy," Bommai said.

While addressing the session, Birla said that the foundation of democracy rests on the accountability of public representatives. "Public representatives must remain sensitive towards the people and fulfill their hopes and aspirations. It is important that the peoples' faith in democracy is maintained in order to strengthen it," he said.