The venue for the winter session, Suvarna Soudha, has 24 offices, including one statewide office of the Karnataka Textiles Infrastructure Development Corporation. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO
Activists demanded that the state government demonstrate its commitment to meaningful decentralization by shifting some of its important offices to Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi.
In a letter to the state government, North Karnataka Agitation Committee member Ashok Pujari warned that an agitation would be launched if such measures were not taken immediately.
“During the winter session in Belagavi, we will have a token one-day protest in front of Suvarna Soudha. If we don’t get any concrete assurance from the state government, we will continue the agitation and extend it to other districts,” he said.
Suvarna Soudha now has 24 offices, including one statewide office of the Karnataka Textiles Infrastructure Development Corporation, three divisional offices and other district offices.
The state government has promised to set up two statewide offices of Information Commissioner and Sugar Commissioner. According to him, they are just getting started.
“For decades, the state government has been promising the people of North Karnataka that they will benefit from meaningful devolution. But it has not been fulfilled. We have been raising the demand to shift offices to Suvarna Soudha since the practice of holding the winter session started here two decades ago. Governments of all parties have come and gone this time. But no government has taken us seriously. Sir, we will continue the agitation.”
It demands formation of Kittur Karnataka Development Board on the pattern of Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board and appointment of Secretary cadre officer in Belagavi.
“Successive governments have not understood our demand for decentralization. All measures for decentralization have been symbolic and half-hearted,” says Central Committee of Kannada Organizations President Ashok Chandargi.
According to him, they have been demanding a change of authorities since 2012, but in vain. “We met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah five times between 2013 and 2018 and twice in this current period. Once we had a long discussion with the Chief Minister and other senior officers. Our demands for more schools in border areas and additional funds for Rajyotsava and Dasara were met but our demands for shifting of offices were not met,” Mr Chandargi said.
Among his demands are the establishment of a camp office in the chief minister’s office with a senior officer to handle files and receive public complaints and an additional chief secretary for North Karnataka.
Meanwhile, some activists revived the demand for statehood for North Karnataka.
North Karnataka Formation Agitation Committee General Secretary Nagesh Golashetty said its members have started a signature campaign to push the demand.
Congress MLA Raju Kage has written to the Union government requesting the creation of a new state of North Karnataka.
However, Legislative Council Speaker Basavaraj Horatti and MP Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri rejected the demand.
The state government is also facing allegations of neglecting the maintenance of the winter session venue i.e. Suvarna Court.
The ₹11 crore proposal sought by the police to repair the Suvarna Soudha was not approved by the state government. These are road repairs, drainage and water supply, plantation, renovation of parts of the building, including rebuilding or remodeling of some rooms and chambers, repair and replacement of doors, windows, furniture and comprehensive supply of purified water.
The proposals submitted in 2023 were not approved by the state government.
Suvarna Soudha was inaugurated in 2012 at a cost of ₹450 million. Public Works Department officials begin maintenance before each winter session.
Published – 23 Nov 2025 20:30 IST
