BENGALURU : As the ten-day monsoon session of Karnataka legislature kicks off on Monday, opposition parties, especially the Congress, plans to corner the Basavaraj Bommai government on price rise of essential commodities, handling of the Covid situation, lack of vaccine supplies, National Education Policy and other issues.
The government, on the other hand, plans to get 18 bills passed during the session, including the all-important amendment to the Karnataka Police Act, 1963, to ban online gambling. Asked if the time allotted for the session was enough, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said, “Ten days of session is sufficient to discuss the issues, provided the opposition does not disrupt the proceedings and stages a walkout.”
On the first day of the session, Leader of Opposition and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar are planning to arrive at Vidhana Soudha on bullock carts to make a dramatic point about the increase in fuel prices.
The opposition has also planned to rake up law and order problem in the coastal region over religious issues and alleged sexist remarks of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra in the Mysuru college girl’s rape case.
Opposition to target govt over NEP
DK Shivakumar said that Congress will corner Higher Education Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayana on NEP, saying that the policy has been introduced without a debate among stakeholders. Public Accounts Committee Chairman and Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy alleged that the government has hidden Covid death figures to avoid paying compensation to the kin of the deceased, and he would raise it on the floor of the House. JDS, which is still to decide whether to support Congress or BJP in the Kalaburagi Municipal Corporation, has not revealed what stand it would take during the session.
For Bommai, this is the first session after assuming office as CM. Political circles are curious as to how he will handle the opposition demand to release the caste census conducted by the backward classes commission, demand of Panchamashali-Lingayats for 2A tag and other issues.