BELAGAVI: Both Houses of the state legislature were adjourned on the first day of the winter session after obituary references were made to 14 personalities. The two Houses were adjourned till 10 am on Tuesday.Speaker Ramesh Kumar read out the obituary references in the Assembly while it was done by Chairman Basavaraj Horatti in the Upper House.
In the Council, Horatti read out a note paying tribute to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Union Minister H N Ananth Kumar, former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatarjee, former Union Minister C K Jaffer Sharief, actor and former minister Ambareesh, MLC Meer Aziz Ahmad, former ministers Omprakash Kanagali, Tippeswamy, E T Shambhunath and Vimalabai Jagadeverao Deshmukh, former Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi, Siddalinga Swami of Tontadarya Mutt, writers Samateendra Nadig and J H Narayanswami.
The ruling group leader in the Council Jayamala remembered the invaluable service rendered by all the deceased. “Former PM Vajpayee was a great poet, orator and thinker,’’ she said. Remembering Ambareesh, Jayamala said, “I knew him since 1975. He lived his life like a modern day Karna by helping everyone. His contribution in establishing an association of artistes is invaluable.”
Leader of Opposition in the Council Kota Srinivasa Poojary asked the Chairman to adjourn the debate for one day as a mark of respect to all the departed souls. But members T A Sharavana, Veena Acchayya and SL Bhojegowda objected. “Setting aside our old tradition, we all should work more on this day which actually will be the real tribute.”Horatti too said that the winter session was being held in Belagavi to discuss issues pertaining to North Karnataka. “Crores of funds are being spent on this session ... we should try to utilise time judiciously,” he said.