Vande Mataram! Let session begin

Belgaum: The Congress government in the state will create history of sorts when the winter session of the legislature in Belgaum commen­ces with the recital of Van­de Mataram on Mon­day.

Assembly Speaker Kag­odu Thimmappa disclosed this to reporters during a briefing on Sunday. The song was sung when Legislative Council proceedings began in 2011 but Vande Mataram has never been recited before the start of an Assembly session.

Later, Yelburga MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy came up with a fresh proposal demanding the recitation of Vande Mataram before the Assembly session too, said sources.

It is not clear why a decision was taken to start the Assembly session with the recital of the patriotic so­ng, penned by Bankim Cha­ndra Chattop­adhyay. The Congress could be setting a new tradition by promoting the song, said sources. 

Next: Farmers’ protest may cloud session

Farmers’ protest may cloud session

Vinay Madhav, Naushad Bijapur | DC

Belgaum: Though the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah might have averted an embarrassment by getting infrastructure minister Santosh Lad who is facing illegal mining charges to step down,  sugarcane growers are set to give a tough time to the government with north Karnataka farmers threatening to lay siege to Suvarna Soudha and stall the legislature session starting on Monday.

Farmer leaders in Belgaum have warned that till the government fixes sugarcane prices scientifically, they will continue their protest. The district police have made elaborate arrangements to ensure no untoward incident takes place in the next fortnight till the session is over.

The opposition parties have made it clear that issues such as the Anti-superstition bill, ‘Shaadi Bhagya’ scheme and poor revenue  collection would be highlighted to put the government on the mat.

With most senior IAS officers and a couple of ministers busy with the elections in five states in north Karnataka, it is doubtful if the session would be
able to take up many subjects for discussion.

The controversial anti-superstition bill may not come up in the session at all. Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa told reporters that the second amendment bill pertaining to Karnataka Land Revenue Act 2012 which was sent back by the Governor will  be tabled in the session. The bill was passed in the state legislature and sent for the Governor's approval.
The bill proposes to legalise revenue and private sites in urban and rural areas. 

Later, the government reviewed it afresh and sent it to the Governor, but the latter sent it back again. With the Governor returning the bill for a review, Timmappa said the same bill would be tabled in the winter session.

Two other important bills likely to come up are the amendment to Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) 2003, to include some more services under ESMA.

Besides, the government is also proposing to make amendments to the Women Commission Act A High-Power Committee of the Legislature will soon be constituted to finalise tenders related to the  construction of the Legislature Home at the premises of Suvarna Soudha in Belgaum