Portraits of Swami Vivekananda, Subhash Chandra Bose, Dr. BR Ambedkar, Basaveshwara, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and VD Savarkar were unveiled at Suvarna Vidhan Soudha in Belagavi on December 19, the first day of the winter session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. , 2022.
winter session of karnataka assembly The ruling BJP made a stormy debut with the unveiling of portraits of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar and six others at the assembly hall of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha (SVS) in Belagavi on December 19.
KPCC president DK Shivakumar argued that there is no connection between Savarkar and Karnataka. He accused the BJP government of unveiling Savarkar’s portrait to divert people’s attention from the state’s problems, including corruption and misrule.
Later, the opposition Congress staged a protest at the entrance of the SVS and demanded portraits of several other celebrities.
Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and KPCC President DK Shivakumar lead a protest by Congress MLA at the entrance of Suvarna Vidhan Soudha for alleged neglect of eminent leaders at Suvarna Vidhan Soudha in Belagavi on December 19, 2022. Photo Credit: Badigar PK
Earlier Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri Savarka’s portrait unveiledR, Vallabhbhai Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, Basaveshwara, BR Ambedkar, Subhash Chandra Bose and Swami Vivekananda in the assembly hall in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri unveiled a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi on the first day of the winter session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on December 19, 2022.
The opposition Congress skipped the picture unveiling event. Instead, they staged a protest at the entrance of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, demanding portraits of various other prominent personalities.
Led by Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and KPCC President DK Shivakumar, the protesting Congress members sat on the steps at the SVS entrance carrying photographs of Kanakadasa, Ambedkar, Valmiki and Kuvempu, claiming that they had made significant contributions to India.
Before staging the protest, Mr. Siddaramaiah wrote a letter to Mr. Kageri stating his demand. In the letter, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that there is a need to keep alive the egalitarian ideals and principles of various eminent personalities by installing portraits of them.
He talked about Basaveshwar, Narayan Guru, Maharishi Valmiki, Kanakdas, Jawaharlal Nehru, B.R. Ambedkar, Kuvempu, Vallabhbhai Patel and Babu Jagjivanram, who made invaluable contributions to Indian cultural heritage.
BJP state general secretary Ravikumar said that the BJP is ready to put up portraits of celebrities suggested by the Congress. In fact, portraits of Basaveshwar, Ambedkar and Vallabhbhai Patel were among those unveiled in the assembly hall, he said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri unveiled portraits of Swami Vivekananda, Subhash Chandra Bose and Dr BR Ambedkar on the first day of the winter session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on 19 December. 2022.
Regarding Savarkar, the BJP replied that Indira Gandhi, a distinguished Congress leader and former Prime Minister, had praised Savarkar and his contribution to India.
After this the Congress changed its strategy. Instead of opposing the statue of Savarkar, he demanded that the pictures of other prominent personalities should also be displayed in the auditorium.