From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Feb 14: In the backdrop of the young and old protesting against the controversial Citizens Amendment Act (CAA) and swearing by the Constitution, especially the Preamble, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly has decided to have a special debate for two days, March 2 and 3 - on the significance of the Constitution and extent to which it succeeded in meeting the aspirations of the people in the last 70 years.

The State Assembly Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, who addressed the media in Bengaluru on Friday, said the House would act as a platform for legislators to speak about the relevance of the constitution and its contributions for the last seven decades.

The Constitution was adopted on January 26, 1950 and would be completing 70 years.

Kageri said he had already held a round discussions with senior legislators and all have expressed their willingness to participate in the debate.

More details of the discussion would be worked out in the next few days after a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the House on Feb 18, Kageri said.

To a question if it would be possible to have discussions above partisan politics in the present scenario, Kageri said “I have appealed to members to that they should discuss the Constitution beyond the political prism.”

Each member would be asked to speak on the specific topic of the constitution, he said.

On the question whether the Assembly would a pass a resolution on the CAA after the discussion, the Speaker said there was no such proposal before him. He declined to get into a debate on the CAA, which has already been passed by Parliament and the President has already given assent.

The Speaker said he had planned to hold a conference on the Constitution in November last year but owing to by-elections to the 15 Legislative Assembly constituencies, the programme had to be cancelled.

Kageri said Governor Vajubhai Vala will address the joint session of the state legislature on Monday at 11 am.

The House would discuss the motion of thanks to the governor’s address till February 20. The House would be adjourned on February 20 for meeting again on March 2 and would be concluded on March 31.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who also holds the Finance portfolio, would present the state budget for the year 2020-21 on March 5.