Hyderabad, February 18: Police lathicharge on students and media personnel on Osmania University campus rocked the State Assembly today Tuesday forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day. Except moving condolence motions over the demise of some former legislators and introduction of a resolution on motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, no other business was taken up today.
At one stage, Speaker N Kirankumar Reddy urged the opposition TDP members to cooperate for smooth functioning of the House.
The trouble began when the TDP members insisted on a debate on their adjournment motion notice relating to OU incident.
Even after the House was adjourned, the TDP members (numbering about 25) belonging to Telangana region sat on the floor of the House demanding that the Government make a statement on the university incident and give an assurance for withdrawal of cases booked against the students involved in the Telangana agitation.
As soon as the House met for the day at 9 a.m., the Telangana TDP members led by party Deputy leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy raised the issue of police lathicharge on students. When the members failed to hear his plea and started shouting slogans for withdrawal of cases on students, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
After the session resumed at about 10.10 a.m., the Speaker disallowed TDP’s adjournment motion on lathicharge, PRP on scholarships and fee reimbursement to BC students and MIM on the High Court order quashing four percent reservations for Muslims. He directed Home Minister P Sabita Reddy to make a statement on the university incident. The minister sought time.
When the TDP and MIM members insisted on immediate discussion on their issues, Chief Minister K Rosaiah intervened and said the Home Minister would make a statement after getting information relating to the incident. With regard to Muslim reservations, the Government has already issued orders to file an appeal in the Apex Court after consulting legal experts.
Not satisfied with the Government’s response, the agitating TDP members insisted on an immediate statement on the issue. The Speaker was forced to adjourn the House for the second time when the TDP members rushed towards the podium and invited the floor leaders for a discussion to resolve the stalemate.
Even after the session resumed at about 11.10 a.m., the TDP members were on their feet raising slogans against the Government. The Speaker adjourned the House for the day.
The TDP MLAs, however, stayed put inside the House in protest.
–Agencies–