The ruling Congress cut a sorry figure in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly as a united Opposition launched a ferocious attack on the “tainted ministers” issue for the fifth successive day today.
The tame defence and the “lame excuses” by the government did not cut any ice with the Opposition parties as they insisted that all files related to the 26 controversial GOs be tabled in the House for a discussion.
Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu said the issue could not be discussed in the House as it would amount to a “parallel investigation” at a time when the CBI was engaged in a probe of the matter.
Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao, who is in the Opposition’s firing line, maintained that a debate in the Assembly might “influence” the CBI inquiry.
Taking strong exception to the ministers’ claims, the Opposition parties launched a frontal attack saying the government was primarily responsible to the House and the people as per the Constitution.
“Did Parliament not discuss the 2G scam when the CBI probe was on,” Telugu Desam Legislature Party deputy leader P Ashoka Gajapati Raju questioned, leaving the treasury benches dumbfounded.
The CPI, the CPM and the BJP legislators too lashed out at the government for seeking to run away from the issue. Lok Satta Party member N Jayaprakash Narayan minced no words in finding fault with the government’s stand on the issue.
“As per Article 164 (2) of the Constitution you are accountable to the House. There is no escape,” he asserted.
TDP MLA Payyavula Keshav wondered how the Chief Minister could give a clean chit to ministers in the liquor syndicates’ bribery issue when the state Anti-Corruption Bureau was investigating the case. “Does it not amount to influencing the ACB probe,” he questioned, leaving the government defenceless.
As the Opposition members persisted with their demand, noisy exchanges were witnessed between them and Congress legislators. Amidst the din, Speaker Nadendla Manohar adjourned the proceedings for half an hour.
—PTI