The Karnataka Assembly was adjourned on Monday following an uproar about Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who recently called centenarian freedom fighter HS Doreswamy a “fake freedom fighter” and a “Pakistani agent”, NDTV reported. Doreswamy has been one of the prominent figures in Karnataka protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah raised the matter in the Assembly on Monday, and commotion followed, following which the House was adjourned for the day.

“BJP leaders, especially Basavaraj Yatnal, have made very derogatory remarks against freedom fighters of this country,” Karnataka Congress President Eshwar Khandre told NDTV. “He has called Shri HS Doreswamy a Pakistani agent, which is anti-national. We have demanded that the government book a case against him, expel him and uphold the honour and dignity of the House.”

However, the BJP-led government managed to table eight bills amid the commotion, PTI reported. The ruling party opposed Siddaramaiah’s move to raise the matter without prior notice. BJP leaders questioned the Congress’ criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

Siddaramaiah sought to raise the matter claiming it was of “urgent public importance”. However, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri disallowed him. Kageri said he would go by the agenda as per which the chief minister’s reply to the governor’s address has been listed, and would consider the matter Siddaramaiah wanted to raise only after this reply is completed.

This caused Siddaramaiah to lead the Congress MLAs into the well of the House, shouting slogans. Legislators of the Janata Dal (Secular) also joined them. The parties shouted slogans like “jai to freedom fighters”, “save democracy and the Constitution” and “down with British agents”.

The Speaker initially adjourned the House for 30 mins, then until lunch, and finally for the entire day as the ruckus continued.