Preparations for the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Vidhana Soudha have taken a controversial turn with the legislature secretariat proposing to gift gold biscuits to all the 300 legislators and silver plates to about 5,000 employees.
The secretariat has sought ₹26.87 crore from the Finance Department for holding the two-day event to mark the occasion, including ₹3 crore towards these gifts.
While the gold biscuits, on which the emblem of the Vidhana Soudha will be engraved, are expected to cost around ₹50,000 each, the silver plates will cost ₹5,000 apiece.
The secretariat has desisted from divulging details of the proposal, but it is reliably learnt that the Finance Department is yet to clear it.
Such a proposal for lavish spending has come under criticism from leaders cutting across party lines. Most leaders have no objection to celebrating the event and inviting President Ram Nath Kovind to address the special session to be held on October 25 to mark the occasion. But they are opposed to spending huge amounts at a time when the State is reeling under the double impact of drought and flood.
Sources say the secretariat did not consult the government before sending the proposal, with even Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra not involved in finalising it. When the matter cropped up at a recent State Cabinet meeting, many Ministers reportedly expressed their displeasure over such a decision by Assembly Speaker K.B. Koliwad and Legislative Council Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy. It is learnt that the file is with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who holds the Finance portfolio.
What is planned
A year after the Vidhana Soudha turned 60, the State government is celebrating its diamond jubilee. The discussions at the joint session will be a trip down memory lane as the topics include the formation of Mysore State, integration of Karnataka State, and issues related to Karnataka’s history and the Kannada language. Family members of former Chief Ministers K.C. Reddy, Kengal Hanumanthaiya and Kadidal Manjappa, who played pivotal roles in the construction of the Vidhana Soudha, will be honoured on the occasion.
The celebration will include a show on 3D mapping of the Vidhana Soudha and a 3D virtual reality show produced by child actor and director Master Kishan. Kannadigas from across the globe can catch a glimpse of the golden jubilee celebrations through this show on their mobile phones. For the first time, people will have a 360-degree view of the Vidhana Soudha through this virtual experience.
Meanwhile, Grammy Award recipient Ricky Kej and his team will present a musical symphony.
The Public Works Department has taken up renovation of the Vidhana Soudha and ₹3.5 crore is being spent on lighting alone. The work includes improving the condition of the lobby, replacing mosaic steps with granite slabs, and internal lighting.
The department is also proposing to wash the walls of the structure. Normally, these stone walls are washed once in five or 10 years. But they have not been washed for the past 15 years. The Vidhana Soudha architecture has remained more or less untouched in the past 60 years, except for the installation of lift in the Chief Minister’s chamber and the Cabinet hall.
