In a dramatic turn of events, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly witnessed a walkout by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members on Wednesday. The protest was triggered by a dispute over unpaid financial dues under the state government's flagship Gruha Lakshmi scheme for the months of February and March 2025.
Controversy Erupts Over Minister's Statement
The core of the conflict stemmed from a statement made by Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar on December 12. She had responded to a question raised by BJP MLA Mahesh Tenginakai, who highlighted that the promised Rs 2,000 monthly dole had not been disbursed to beneficiaries for two consecutive months. The Opposition alleged that the minister's reply was misleading and denied the payment delays.
On Wednesday, Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka sought a clarification regarding Hebbalkar's earlier statement. BJP legislators demanded that the minister be summoned to the House. The situation escalated as protesting MLAs entered the Well of the Assembly, leading to an adjournment for over an hour.
Revelation of Unpaid Dues and Demand for Apology
When the House reconvened, R Ashoka stated that the minister had now claimed to have cleared all dues only until October. He pointed out a significant financial shortfall, alleging that around Rs 5,000 crore was not paid to approximately 1.25 crore beneficiaries for February and March. The BJP insisted that the minister should have verified the facts before her initial reply and demanded a formal apology for misleading the Assembly.
Facing the heat, Minister Hebbalkar acknowledged the lapse. She confirmed that the Gruha Lakshmi benefits, aimed at women heads of families, were indeed pending for those two months. "My intention was not to mislead the House," she stated, clarifying that she had only asserted that dues were cleared until August. She assured the Assembly that she would take up the matter with the chief minister and the finance department to ensure pending payments are made soon. "I apologise if anyone was hurt by my reply," Hebbalkar said.
Uproar and Eventual Walkout
The minister's apology did not pacify the Opposition benches. Her remarks sparked a din, with BJP MLA Sunil Kumar accusing the government of being bankrupt, and MLA Araga Jnanendra calling for action against the responsible officer. After a heated exchange of words between the treasury and opposition benches, Hebbalkar expressed regret for her earlier reply and apologised once more.
However, another controversy erupted when the minister claimed she was being targeted by the Opposition for being a woman. This further fueled the protests. Ultimately, dissatisfied with the government's response, the BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the Assembly proceedings, marking a significant moment of political discord over the welfare scheme's implementation.
