Karnataka: Winter Session starts with delayed proceedings, PSI exam debate amidst calls for urgent teacher appointments
The first day of the Winter Session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly commenced with a discordant note as legislators from both the ruling Congress and the BJP in the Opposition voiced strong objections over the one-hour delay in the convening of the session on Monday, 4 December.
Later, opposing the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment exams scheduled on 24 December, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal demanded that the Congress government postpone the PSI exams by at least six months to provide ample time for the preparations.
In the Legislative Council, the BJP MLCs raised the drought issue and demanded that the state government announce a special package of ₹10,000 crore to carry out relief works.
Meanwhile, several MLCs, cutting across party lines, raised the issue of a shortage of teachers in aided schools across the state.
Also read: Audit exposes ₹200-crore irregularities in Karnataka MGNREGA
Proceedings delayed
The 10-day winter session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly kicked off at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi with BJP and Congress legislators raising strong objections to the delayed commencement of the proceedings.
The winter session, which was scheduled to start at 11 am, was delayed by an hour, prompting senior MLAs, Suresh Kumar, Basavaraj Rayareddy, and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal to express their concerns to Speaker UT Khader.
The legislators highlighted that the unannounced delay without informing the waiting members conveyed a negative message to the people of the state and violated established rules and procedures.
BJP MLA Suresh Kumar emphasised the significance of punctuality and the need to convey a positive image through the timely commencement of the legislative business.
Congress MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy echoed these sentiments, citing established rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
“I urge the Speaker to adhere to the prescribed timelines to avoid tarnishing the reputation of the north Karnataka region. It is the Speaker’s responsibility to uphold the dignity of the legislative proceedings,” emphasised Rayareddy.
Notably, BJP legislator Yatnal called for the immediate initiation of discussions on north Karnataka-related issues and threatened to stage a protest if the matter was not addressed promptly. He emphasised the importance of addressing regional concerns from the outset of the session, rather than postponing discussions to the final days.
In response, Khader acknowledged the importance of starting the proceedings on time but cited occasional delays due to unforeseen reasons. He called for cooperation from all legislators to ensure the timely convening of the House, emphasising that the session aimed to discuss issues relevant to the entire state and north Karnataka.
The session began with tributes being paid to deceased members, including minister and Speaker DB Chandre Gowda, and honoured soldiers, including Captain MV Pranjal, who lost his life in a recent encounter in Jammu and Kashmir.
The political leaders, while expressing condolences, also discussed measures to immortalise the legacy of the soldier and proposed initiatives to honour the contributions of former members like Chandre Gowda.
Also read: Karnataka announces interim relief for drought-hit farmers
Savarkar portrait issue
On speculation surrounding the removal of a life-sized portrait of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar from the Assembly chamber at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, CM Siddaramaiah asserted that the decision lies with the speaker of the assembly.
The portrait was unveiled in December 2022 during the previous BJP government’s tenure, drawing criticism and protest from the Congress, in the Opposition at the time.
Amidst discussions about the fate of Savarkar’s portrait, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters: “It is left to the Speaker (to decide).”
Additionally, Speaker UT Khader on Sunday revealed plans to deliberate on installing a portrait of the first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, inside the Assembly chamber.
Also read: Don’t drive contractors to suicide, Karnataka HC tells govt
PSI recruitment scam discussions
Amidst the first-day legislative proceedings of the winter session in Belagavi, the PSI recruitment exams scheduled on 23 December stirred controversy during the Zero Hour on Monday.
Yatnal, who raised the issue in the Zero Hour, brought attention to the cancellation of a previous PSI exam, designed to fill 545 positions, citing irregularities.
The rescheduled exam faced vehement opposition from Yatnal, who was backed by several Congress MLAs, as they urged a six-month postponement to accommodate the 54,000-plus candidates seeking to participate.
Responding to concerns raised by several MLAs, Minister for Home G Parameshwar said: ‘The PSI test was conducted during the previous government. Due to the discovery of irregularities, the previous government issued an order cancelling the examination. On the orders of the high court, the examination has now been scheduled.”
He added: “There are 1,500 PSI posts vacant in the state. There is a shortage of PSIs. In the first phase, an examination will be conducted for the filling of these 545 posts. In the second phase, the examination will be held for filling up 403 posts. The remaining around 600 posts will be filled in the third phase. It is impossible to postpone the exam.”
However, the home minister, after holding discussions with the chief minister, announced fresh dates for the PSI recruitment exam, rescheduling it from 23 December to 23 January, 2024.
Also read: Condolences pour in for Karnataka-born army Captain MV Pranjal
On teacher appointments
MLCs across the party lines said the state’s aided schools were on the brink of an educational crisis as they grappled with a severe shortage of teachers.
On the first day of the session in the council, both Congress and BJP MLCs — led by Abdul Jabbar and Shashil Namoshi, respectively — jointly raised their voices and called upon the government to address the critical shortage of teachers in aided schools.
Highlighting the stark reality of some aided schools operating with just one teacher for nearly a hundred students, the MLCs urged the government for either the immediate appointment of teachers or the closure of such schools.
The MLCs argue that sustaining quality education under such circumstances is an insurmountable challenge.
“Despite appeals dating back to 2016, the government has allegedly cited impediments from the Finance Department, leaving these schools in limbo,” pointed out BJP MLC Namoshi.
Acknowledging the issues raised by the MLCs, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Madhu Bangarappa said: “I have raised this issue with the chief minister. I am hopeful that he will make an official announcement on the matter in the ongoing winter session itself.”
(With PTI inputs)
