Karnataka former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa was honoured with the best legislator's award by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in the legislative assembly ahead of the joint session address on Friday.Legislative assembly Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri while announcing the award in the joint session said Karnataka will have the best legislator award for members of the legislative assembly from this year on the lines of the best parliamentarian award given in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha annually.Yediyurappa stated that he has honestly attempted to fulfil the aspirations of the people in the temple of democracy. "I have accepted the award with all humility," he said.Om Birla while addressing the historical joint session in the Karnataka legislature organized to commemorate the 75 years of India's Independence on the subject 'Democracy - Safeguarding democratic values', said stalling of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings in a planned manner is not a good development.Parliamentary democracy in India has been strengthened over the years. The successful conduct of 17 parliamentary elections and more than 300 assembly elections since independence in India provided a mirror to the strong democratic roots in the country, he said.
Transfer of power has also been peaceful and harmonious in the country. The parliamentary democratic system has been accepted as the best system to run a country across the world, he said."However, pre-planned stalling of parliament proceedings are not in the highest traditions of principles of democracy. Democracy allows for differences of opinion. It is good to debate and differ. But, raising slogans in the parliament is not a good trend. The legislators should focus on law-making and meaningful discussions," he noted.The state unit of the Congress party boycotted the joint session address by Om Birla. Former Chief Minister and JD (S) leader of the House H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the party does not want to show disrespect to the Lok Sabha Speaker and they are attending the joint session.JD (S) legislator K. Annadani raised slogans asking that the speech be made in the Kannada language as soon as Om Birla began his speech in Hindi.