60-year-old Veerbhadrappa along with his wife Gangava were involved in the ongoing discussions inside the assembly and council meetings and were involved in sowing activities in front of the Suvarnavidhan Soudh without being aware of it, on July 07, 2015 in Belagavi. Photo credit: K. fortune light
Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi is the winter session seat of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Located on the hilltop of Bastavad village on the eastern side of the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway, it is surrounded by a large garden under development and endless sugarcane fields, giving it a picturesque look and feel.
Scene of Suvarnavidhan Soudha in Belagavi. | Photo credit: BADIGER PK
This year’s winter session ended on Thursday, January 19, with many heated debates and discussions.
Young women dressed in Joguti during the cultural program of Saundatti Yallamma in front of Suvarna Soudh in Belagavi on Friday. | Photo credit: BADIGER PK
Iconic building
It is one of the most iconic buildings in North Karnataka. To be a replica of Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru, it is constructed with white marble and other stones and extensive woodwork. Although the complex is several times larger than Bangalore’s Vidhan Soudha, the built-up area is significantly smaller.
Workers cleaning the helipad near Suvarna Soudh. | Photo credit: BADIGER PK
Some residents of the border district of Belagavi feel that the state government built it to counter the demand for a separate North Karnataka state and the feeling that the northern districts are being neglected. The agreement meant that the winter session would be held in Belagavi, a border region to which Maharashtra lays claim. Suvarna Soudha is named to commemorate the golden jubilee of Karnataka’s foundation day.
Some say they got the idea from Maharashtra, which holds its winter convention in Nagpur. Vidhan Bhavan in Nagpur is a reconstructed British era building, which served as the provincial headquarters of the Central Provinces, built in 1912 according to some authorities.
A helicopter landing facility has been constructed near Suvarna Vidhan Soudh in Belagavi. | Photo credit: BADIGER PK
Who gets the credit?
There has been a long-standing battle over the credit for the construction of Suvarna Soudh. Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy says he envisioned the winter session in Belagavi and laid the foundation stone at the Vaccine Depot ground in South Belagavi in 2007. But the location was changed after protests from environmentalists who said the structure would cause damage. Vaccine Depot One.
Statue of BR Ambedkar at Suvarna Vidhan Soudh Complex. | Photo credit: BADIGER PK
Two years later, the then Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa performed Bhumi Puja of the acquired land at Halga-Bastavad village intersection. It was completed in 2012 after some cost and time overruns. The construction of the building was estimated to cost around Rs 250 crore and was expected to be completed in 18 months. But the change in design increased the construction area by about 30%. It was completed as a grand structure on 3500 square meters of land at a cost of around ₹ 425 crore. Pune-based BG Shirke was the contracting agency.
Statue of Sangoli Rayan at Suvarna Vidhan Soudha. | Photo credit: BADIGER PK
The first few years
A private college in Belagavi used to conduct winter sessions for the first few years. Since 2012, sessions have averaged 10 days a year. Promises made by successive governments to shift important state offices to Belagavi remain on paper. Session costs are increasing every year. It is estimated that this year it will cost around 20 crore rupees.
Most of the work, including garden maintenance, lighting and internet connectivity, has been outsourced for the duration of the session. As there is no MLA’s house or quarter in Belagavi, shelter for the protestors, food for police, staff and journalists, VIP security, transport and other related arrangements are taken ad hoc.
A woman activist admires the parking lot from the corridor of Suvarnavidhan Soudh where the Legislative Assembly is in session on July 08, 2015 in Belagavi. Photo Courtesy: Bhagya Prakash
Platform for movement
The winter session has become a ready platform for protesters – not just North Karnataka, but the entire state. This year, for example, 75 organizations protested.
Every year the winter session calls for a special discussion on North Karnataka issues. However, it has only been partially completed. Unfortunately, many such discussions end up as charters demanding funds for irrigation projects in the region.
published – December 20, 2024 at 08:00 hrs IST