Horatti writes to Speaker expressing displeasure over him taking ‘unilateral decisions’

In a rare instance of the presiding officers of the Karnataka Legislature exchanging strong communications, Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti has written to Legislative Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader expressing displeasure over taking “unilateral” decisions and “ignoring” him in decisions that are normally taken together.

Expressing a strong displeasure about sequence of events in the past, Mr. Horatti, in a letter dated September 8, has told Mr. Khader: “Even for courtesy, I am not being consulted while drawing up official programmes. Such unilateral decisions have made me sad. I have tolerated all these.” He pointed out that Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council are two faces of the same coin.

The precipitating factor seems to be drawing up of the official travel plan to Barbados where Commonwealth conference is getting under way in October. The nearly-month-long tour is starting from September 29 and ending on October 27 during which a delegation of legislators from Karnataka will be visiting Florida, Barbados, Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Norway.

“It is unfortunate that I have come to know from other sources that the trip itinerary has been finalised without my suggestion. I have got a feeling that I do not have the right to undertake study travel to the place of my choice as part of the officials trip. I am unable to understand why the trip itinerary has been drafted as per your convenience and I am being forced to participate in it.”

Drawing Mr. Khader’s attention to the past incidents where he felt slighted, Mr. Horatti said that he had not been consulted or his advice sought in organising book fest on the Vidhana Soudha premises, installation of laser lights at Vidhana Soudha, organising 11th India zonal conference of the CPA Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. “I was not even contacted for courtesy while drawing up plans. Unilaterally, press conference is being convened to announce them and I am seeing them in the media. Because of my long years in politics and close relationship with the chairpersons of Legislative Councils/ Assemblies in other States, I feel embarrassed in sharing details about the 11th regional CPA Commonwealth conference.”

He hoped that such things would not repeat in future.

Meanwhile, Mr. Khader told presspersons here on Tuesday that he was not aware why the letter was written. “We are together always. He has been a senior member. I have discussed with him on all issues. When it came for safety of Vidhana Soudha security or about Vidhana Soudha guided tour, we have discussed. I will discuss with him why he has written the letter.”