Winter session of Karnataka Assembly to witness intense debates
By : Gururaj A Paniyadi
Update: 2024-12-09 05:48 GMT
Belagavi: The Winter Session of the Karnataka Legislature, starting today in Belagavi, is expected to witness intense debates as the opposition BJP-JD(S) combine gears up to corner the ruling Congress on several major issues.
The topics likely to dominate the session are maternity deaths in Ballari, the Waqf land controversy, and the MUDA scam. The Congress, on its part, is preparing to defend its position while planning counterattacks on the opposition.
Key topics, including Valmiki reservations, the Waqf property dispute, and maternity deaths, are of significant concern to the North Karnataka region. The BJP is expected to raise these matters strongly.
The BJP has been demanding a probe into the recent maternal deaths in Ballari. It is also unhappy with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for not visiting the affected families even during his visit to Sandur on Sunday. This issue is likely to be a focal point of the opposition's attack.
The Waqf land issue is another contentious topic set to take center stage. The BJP has criticized the state government for issuing notices to farmers in North Karnataka, alleging their lands fall under Waqf property. In some instances, Waqf designations have reportedly appeared in RTCs (Record of Rights, Tenancy, and Crops). Although the government has initiated corrective measures, the BJP is expected to amplify farmers' grievances during the session.
The BJP is also likely to bring up the Enforcement Directorate's new findings in the MUDA scam as a weapon against the Congress government.
Meanwhile, the Congress is gearing up to defend its position on these issues. On the Ballari maternity deaths, Congress leaders are expected to highlight discrepancies between a state agency report, which found IV Ringer’s Lactate solution unsuitable, and a report by the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL), which cleared it.
Additionally, the Congress may also counterattack by taking up the findings of the Justice D’Cunha committee, which investigated alleged irregularities in COVID-19 procurement and management during the BJP’s tenure. The committee’s preliminary report is said to point at former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and former Health Minister B Sriramulu.