The 10-day winter session of the Karnataka legislature has begun in Suvarna Soudha, Belagavi, once again raising hopes among the people of the northern part of the state that issues pertaining to their region will be voiced in the proceedings. But if the past is any indication, this could just remain wishful thinking. Built at a cost of over Rs 400 crore, Suvarna Soudha has turned out to be the proverbial white elephant, with no activity there during most of the year. It comes alive only for the winter session of legislature. The promises to shift some department head offices from Bengaluru to Belagavi and to hold regional conferences of the government at Suvarna Soudha in order to bring administration closer to the people of Kalyana Karnataka have remained only on paper. The Soudha has thus been reduced to a mere showpiece, having failed to meet the aspirations of the people of this region, raising questions on whether the huge expenditure on its construction and maintenance is justified. This being the case, the least that the presiding officers of the Assembly and the Council could do is to ensure that at least 50% of the time of the current session is devoted to discussing developmental issues pertaining to North Karnataka.
This being an election year, political parties are certain to raise the border issue with Maharashtra though they are fully aware that there can be no meaningful conclusion on it as the matter is before the Supreme Court. They will do well not to prolong the discussion on the issue and waste the time of the House with a show of “won’t give even an inch” bravado. Instead the House must focus on issues such as irrigation, roads, schools, infrastructure and other sectors, the issues that really matter for the people of North Karnataka. One of the major bills that will be placed before the legislature is the one pertaining to increasing reservations for SC/STs. The government promulgated an Ordinance on the matter with the coming elections in mind and now seeks to have it turned into legislation. While the Opposition is unlikely to oppose the bill for the same reason, there must be a threadbare and comprehensive debate on the issue of reservations, especially in view of the demands for quotas from the forward castes. The issue involves questions of constitutional validity. Another important issue must be debated is the theft of voter data in Bengaluru.
This is the last session of the legislature at Belagavi before Assembly elections. It is the duty of both the government and the Opposition to ensure that some meaningful discussions take place and that session is not wasted on unnecessary controversies.