Hyderabad, December 09: The Telangana agitation rocked the State Assembly today, resulting in transaction of no business during the session which lasted 37 minutes (9 am to 11.37 am).
Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy was forced to adjourn the House twice during this brief period when TRS members obstructed the proceedings and insisted on passage of a resolution on statehood.
The House witnessed uproarious scenes when TRS members raised `Jai Telangana’ and a section of the ruling Congress members raised `Jai Andhra Pradesh’ as a counter. At one stage, the Speaker warned former minister and TRS member T Harish Rao not to get emotional when the latter tried to pull the mike after entering into an argument with some ruling party members. The agitating TRS member tore the placard he was carrying and threw it at the Speaker’s chair in protest against adjournment of the House.
TRS floor leader E Rajender warned that Congress members would not be allowed to move in Telangana districts if a resolution on telangana was not passed in the Assembly. They squatted on the floor forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House twice. As soon as the session began in the morning, the Speaker disallowed the notices for adjournment motions given by the TDP on shortage of power in the State, on police lathicharge on students in Osmania University by the PRP, unrest in Telangana region by the CPI, introduction of Telangana Bill in Parliament by the BJP and on Assembly resolution on Telangana by the TRS.
TRS members, holding placards, rushed towards the Speaker’s podium and started raising slogans.
Two CPI members K Sambasiva Rao and U Yadagiri Reddy joined them in the shouting. As the members were not in a mood to resume their seats, the Speaker adjourned the House for a while.
Soon after the session resumed, the TRS members cooperated with the Chair allowing him to declare Minister for Information and Public Relations J Geeta Reddy as the Congress floor leader and in passing condolence motions and observing two-minute silence as a mark of respect to the deceased members of the Assembly.
When the Speaker tried to take up a short-duration discussion on floods and drought, TRS members once again obstructed the proceedings. The Speaker said he fully respected Telangana people’s sentiments since he was born and studied in the region. He, however, made it clear that he would go ahead with the business of the House as decided by the Business Advisory Committee. He adjourned the House till tomorrow when the TRS members were not ready to heed him.
–Agencies