Opposition stage protest after Veer Savarkar portrait unveiled in Karnataka assembly

The state government has placed six photographs of notable people in the Assembly Hall, one of which is of Savarkar, directly behind the Speaker's chair. LoP Siddaramaiah wrote to the Speaker asking to install portraits of personalities, including Valmiki, Basavanna, Kanaka Dasa, BR Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and many others. 

Ahead of the first day of the Winter Session, VD Savarkar's portrait was unveiled in the Karnataka Assembly Hall, prompting the Congress to stage protests on Monday. Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Siddaramaiah addressed the issue in a letter to the Speaker. The LoP Siddaramaiah and other Congress MLAs were seen sitting outside the state assembly, staging a protest against the Basavaraj Bommai-led state government. Karnataka Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri unveiled the portrait.

Ahead of the poster unveiling, Karnataka Congress chief and MLA DK Shivakumar reportedly said that they want the assembly proceedings to be cancelled. They brought the photo because the Opposition intends to raise corruption issues against the govt. They have no development agenda. The portrait of Savarkar has emerged as the latest issue of contention between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress. The leaders were seen carrying pictures of other freedom fighters, signifying that their pictures should be hanging in the assembly, not Savarkar's. 

LoP Siddaramaiah wrote to the Speaker asking to install portraits of personalities, including Valmiki, Basavanna, Kanaka Dasa, BR Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and many others. 

The state government has placed six photographs of notable people in the Assembly Hall, one of which is of Savarkar, directly behind the Speaker's chair. 

Meanwhile, the Belagvi Police Department has reportedly denied the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti permission to hold their Mahamela convention due to increased security. Large gatherings are prohibited in the vicinity due to the assembly session.

Protests were held not only in the Karnataka assembly but also in the Maharashtra state assembly. Several key opposition leaders participated in sloganeering against the Karnataka government and Chief Minister Bommai. They also criticised Maharashtra's ruling government for failing to take a stand on the border dispute.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with the chief ministers of both states last week. Before the session began, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday that a proposal on the border dispute would be passed in the assembly.