Governor’s address steers clear of sticky issues

BENGALURU: Governor Thaawarchad Gehlot to the legislature today, the first day of the budget session, avoided any controversial topics like Hindutva, Tipu Sultan, revision of school textbooks or any attack on the Centre.

In his 24-page speech, the governor laid the roadmap for the Congress government while mentioning the Congress guarantees. He also touched on some points in connectin with the Anna Bhagya scheme and noted that ‘a government which does not feed the poor is anti-people’. This was seen as an indirect attack on the Centre which has refused to supply additional 5 kg of rice to the state for the Anna Bhagya scheme.

The governor, in his speech, said the government will make all efforts to provide 5+5 kg of rice to BPL card holders while also touching upon the state’s financial condition. In a swipe at the UP and Gujarat models, the governor’s speech Karnataka’s own administrative model.

The House observed a minute’s silence after obituary references were made.

Later, obituary references were made in the House to departed leaders including Ratna V Kushanur, Anjanamurthy, D B Inamdar, R Dhruvanarayan, writers Prof Maleyur Guruswamy, Srinivas Vaidya, Nadoja awardee Belagallu Veeranna, opthalmologist Dr Bhujan Shetty writer Prof G S Nayak and senior actor C V Shivashankar and the House observed a minute’s silence.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar became emotional while paying tributes to Dhruvanarayan saying that he would have been made KPCC president.