Minister D Sridhar Babu today took exception to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy saying that the Telangana Draft Bill was not introduced in the State Assembly.
Speaking to media persons at Secretariat here, he said that it is not correct to say that the bill was yet to be introduced. The bill was already introduced and debate began, he remarked. After the adjournment of the house till January 3, the legislature has issued a press note saying that the debate will continue, in the name of the leader of the house who is none other than the Chief Minister, he maintained. He also found fault with the Chief Minister for his remarks that the bill was only laid on the table and the debate is yet to begin. Introduction of the bill is nothing but beginning of the debate, Sridhar Babu said. The Speaker N Manohar, who is bestowed with discretionary powers of the legislature, will decide whether to take opinion or conduct voting on the draft bill.
Actually the President has sought the Assembly and Council to send the opinions on obtaining from the parties. However, the speaker will decide on this issue, which is nothing to do with the Chief Minister or somebody else, Sridhar Babu maintained. He appealed to the Seemandhra leaders not to insist on their Samaikyandhra stance, but give their opinions to the houses and express their views or demands and apprehensions. The Parliament will make use of Article 3 and pass the bill soon, he exuded confidence.(NSS)
