Speaker rejects adjournment motion on ‘wrist watch’ row

After allowing preliminary submission by Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar, the Speaker said that it does not come under adjournment motion rules and the issue can be raised while discussing the Governor’s address to the joint session.  

“There is provision to raise the issue while discussing the Governor’s address and the motion was rejected,” the Speaker announced and adjourned the House for lunch, even as Opposition members thronged into the well of the House in protest. 

Earlier, treasury bench members, including Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H K Patil, were of the opinion that preliminary submission can be allowed after completion of Question Hour as per agenda for the day. Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T B Jayachandra said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has already replied on the issue and hence there is no need to accept the motion and allow any discussion. 

However, when the Speaker allowed preliminary submission, Shettar stated that the Chief Minister accepting costly gift is against ethics and in violation of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act(FERA), since it was not declared despite the rule which demands that gift above Rs 5000 in any kind from a foreigner should be declared. 

At one stage, Siddaramaiah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was wearing Rs 10 lakhs worth coat and wanted to know from where did he get such a costly item. The Chief Minister also said his accepting the wrist watch does not come under FERA, since Girish Verma does not belong to any country as he is staying in Dubai.