Congress boycotts BAC meeting of Karnataka assembly

The opposition Congress on Monday boycotted the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of the Karnataka legislative assembly in protest against the Speaker and the government for not consulting them on installing portraits of several national icons at the assembly chamber here.

The opposition Congress on Monday boycotted the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of the Karnataka legislative assembly in protest against the Speaker and the government for not consulting them on installing portraits of several national icons, including Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, at the assembly chamber here.

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar speaks to the media against the installation of a portrait of VD Savarkar in the Assembly hall on the first day of the winter session, in Belagavi on Monday. (ANI Photo)

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Earlier in the day, Congress led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and party state president D K Shivakumar staged a demonstration outside 'Suvarna Vidhana Soudha', alleging decisions have been taken unilaterally to install certain portraits inside the House without any discussions or consultation.

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The portraits of Swami Vivekananda, Subhas Chandra Bose, B R Ambedkar, Basaveshwara, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Savarkar were unveiled inside the Assembly chamber today.

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At the BAC that was attended by Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai among others, it was decided to introduce a Bill to replace the ordinance on the SC/ST quota hike and consider the Bill already tabled regarding giving additional statutory primacy for usage of Kannada in administration and the private sector.

Also, it was decided to allot time to discuss issues concerning north Karnataka region. The 10-day legislature began in this border district today.