Savarkar’s portrait unveiled in Suvarna Soudha despite Congress protest
Belagavi(PTI): Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's life size portrait was unveiled inside the Assembly chamber at the 'Suvarna Vidhana Soudha' here, along with several national icons, drawing criticism from opposition Congress, which alleged that it was a unilateral decision, keeping them in the dark.
The portraits of Swami Vivekananda, Subash Chandra Bose, B R Ambedkar, Basaveshwara, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Savarkar were unveiled by Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, inside the Assembly chamber, just before the commencement of the 10-day winter session of the state legislature in this border district.
Earlier, the Congress led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and party's state President D K Shivakumar staged a demonstration outside 'Suvarna Vidhana Soudha' holding pictures of several national and state icons like Kuvempu, Narayana Guru, Shishunala Sharif, Pandit Jwaharlal Nehru, Babu Jagjivan Ram among others.
Stating that it is his party's demand that portraits of national leaders and social reformers should be installed in the Assembly and they are not protesting against any one portrait, Siddaramaiah said without any discussions or consultation unilaterally decisions have been taken to install certain portraits inside the House.
"If any portrait has to be put inside the Assembly, the House has to be taken into confidence as they become the property of the Assembly, though the Speaker is the custodian. It has not been done, it was not even discussed in the Business Advisory Committee," he said.
Noting that he neither had invitation nor any information regarding unveiling of the portraits including that of Savarkar, and only got to know about it through the media, Siddaramaiah said, "We are not opposed to installing any portraits, but the Assembly has to be taken into confidence."
Suggesting that portraits of Nehru, Patel, Jagjivan Ram, and social reformers have to be installed and its their demand, he said, "they (BJP government) are doing it now because we will raise several issues like corruption, voter ID card scam, farmers, law and order, also several scams. In order to divert the attention of the people they are doing this unilaterally. We oppose this."
Reacting to the Congress' protest, Chief Minister Bommai said, "Whatever happens inside the Assembly is left to the Speaker and the Legislative Department, I'm yet to meet the Speaker, I will talk to him."
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NDA leaders including Amit Shah, Chandrababu Naidu meet at BJP chief's residence
New Delhi, Dec 25: Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including Home Minister Amit Shah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, met here at BJP president J P Nadda's residence on Wednesday on the birth centenary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Sources said NDA leaders discussed the Congress' recent political attack on the ruling alliance and emphasised to speak in a united voice to counter "fake narrative".
The Congress has attacked Shah alleging insult of B R Ambedkar, with the home minister accusing the opposition party of using a short clip of his speech to distort his remarks.
Shah and Nadda said the ruling alliance's focus should remain on good governance and people's welfare, which have brought it support from the masses, they added.
Besides Shah and Naidu, JD(U) leader and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Apna Dal (S) president and Union minister Anupriya Patel, as well as JD (S) leader and Union minister H D Kumaraswamy, were present at the meeting. With the NDA putting in a broad mechanism to boost coordination, it was noted that its members will continue to consult over key issues, with ministers and other senior leaders meeting the MPs regularly.
Bihar’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (S) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, also a minister in the Modi government, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president Upendra Kushwaha, a Rajya Sabha MP, and Thushar Vellappally, president of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena, were also present at the meeting.
Though there was no official word on the agenda of the meeting, sources said good governance and political issues were discussed.
Good governance was a key theme of the Vajpayee government.
It was decided to hold a meeting of the alliance on the birth anniversary of the BJP stalwart, who is credited with successfully running the first coalition government for its full term.
"Attended the NDA leaders' meeting in New Delhi today. Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India is achieving unprecedented milestones and has positioned itself as a global superpower," Nadda said in a post on X after the meeting.
"The NDA government remains steadfast in its pursuit of the vision of 'Viksit Bharat@2047', ensuring a brighter and more prosperous future for all," he added.
Uttar Pradesh's NISHAD Party chief Sanjay Nishad said it was an “informal" meeting of the NDA leaders on the occasion of the birth centenary of Vajpayee.
“Our future strategy is to move forward together. We have to show unity in all the upcoming elections...everyone congratulated (the BJP leaders) in the meeting for the victory in Haryana and Maharashtra assembly polls,” he told reporters when asked about the meeting.
Nishad said the meeting also discussed coalition strategy to ensure that “all the work” done by Prime Minister Modi reaches the ground and “promises made to people during elections” are fulfilled.
The issue of giving reservation to the fishing community was also raised at the meeting, he said.
“I gave 30-37 page evidence on the issue of giving reservation to the fishing community since it was a poll promise. They will call (us) after a week and discuss it,” Nishad said.
Asked if issue of Shah's remarks on Ambedkar came up at the meeting, the NISHAD Party chief said, "...We have come for people's welfare. How to get success in that, energy needs to be spent on that."
"There is no need to respond to their narrative and negative thoughts," he added in an apparent reference to the Congress and other opposition parties who are up in arms against Shah over his remarks.
The NDA meeting comes amid the alliance's focus on simultaneous elections, with all constituents lending support to the proposal.
A Joint Committee of Parliament, constituted to scrutinise two bills for simultaneous polls, is expected to meet on January 8.
Attended the NDA leaders' meeting in New Delhi today. Under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, India is achieving unprecedented milestones and has positioned itself as a global superpower. The NDA government remains steadfast in its pursuit of the… pic.twitter.com/G4IxjRRMlx
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) December 25, 2024
