BELAGAVI: The special discussion on the burning issues of North Karnataka was rendered a farce, and both Houses failed to have meaningful and result-oriented discussions as not more than 30 of the 225 members were present during the debates. Moreover, most of the legislators from North Karnataka skipped the session.
The major debate in the Assembly and Council revolved around the Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute. Cutting across party lines, members of the Upper House condemned the Maharashtra government’s stand.
A day before the start of the session, Assembly Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri, in a press conference, had claimed that maximum time would be spent on discussing issues of North Karnataka. He had also said that all legislators must participate as it would be the last session of the present government. Permission to remain absent from the session would be given only in exceptional cases.
From Day 1, the number of legislators did not cross the 100 mark. Around 10,000 people, including students from North Karnataka, witnessed debates from the gallery. The business was held for 41 hours and 20 minutes in the Assembly, but not even two hours were devoted to the issues of the region. The Council held discussions for 45 hours on various bills, questions and issues of the state, and passed six bills.
On Wednesday evening, Muddebihal MLA AS Patil Nadahalli spoke for 30 minutes on the implementation of the Upper Krishna Project, developing North Karnataka into a tourism hub and bringing in railway projects and ports to boost trade. On Thursday, Hungund MLA Doddangouda Patil threw light on losses incurred by tur growers and demanded compensation.
Bidar South MLA Bandeppa Kashampur said a super-speciality hospital should be sanctioned for Bidar and urged the government to make financial inclusion in Article 371J for the development of North Karnataka. Jewargi MLA Dr Ajay Singh demanded the release of funds for the construction of Samuday Bhavan, a centre for minorities.