TRS members created a ruckus and disrupted the proceedings in the Lok Sabha on the issue of carving out a separate High Court for Telangana State leading repeated adjournment of the House on Tuesday.
Amidst noisy scenes and slogan shouting by the TRS members, Union Minister for Law Sadananda Gouda assured to convene a meeting of all the MPs from the State within a fortnight to resolve the issue. He pointed out that the process of creating a separate High Court for Telangana State got bogged down due to a PIL pending in the High Court of Hyderabad.
Despite the assurance by the Union Law Minister to resolve the issue at the earliest, the TRS members remained relentless and insisted for a categorical date for completing the process of setting up the High Court for Telangana State. They stormed the podium of the House and continued their slogan shouting and virtually prevented other members from raising other issues during the zero Hour.
An exasperated Speaker Sumitra Mahajan after repeatedly trying in vain to persuade the TRS members to resume their seats and allow the proceedings to continue in a clam and peaceful atmosphere, adjourned the House for a second time till 2 pm.
Earlier as soon as the House commenced the day’s proceedings, the TRS members holding placards stormed into the podium and raised slogans of “Jai Telangana”, “We want High Court” and “We want justice”. The Speaker tried to restore order in the House by appealing to the protesting members to go back to their seats and allow the proceedings to commence. While the TRS members protested on the issue of a separate High Court for Telangana State, the other Opposition members insisted for a discussion on the ghastly incident of rape and murder of a young girl in Punjab. The Congress party even moved an adjournment motion in both the Houses of Parliament on the issue.
The Speaker remained firm and made it amply clear that during the question hour, other issues could not be taken up. She also pointed out that if the members wanted they could raise their issues during the zero hour. As the noisy scenes continued, the House was adjourned for 10 minutes.
When the House reassembled, there was no let-up in the situation and pandemonium continued to prevail with TRS members raising slogans. Amidst the din, the question hour was completed and zero hour taken up. The Speaker firmly told the TRS members to go back to their seats and only then she would permit them to raise the issue.
The TRS members had no other alternative but to return to their respective seats and Jitender Reddy pointed out that as per the AP Reorganization Act, a separate High Court has to be carved out of the present High Court. There has been undue delay in the matter forcing the advocates to boycott court work for over 45 days and cases were piling up. He said of the 29 judges in the present High Court, only six belonged to Telangana State.
Jitender Reddy further pointed out that numerous delegations of members of bar association and TRS MPs have called on the Law Minister many a time only to be given assurances of setting up a separate High Court but in practice no action has been initiated till date. As a matter of fact, the Telangana Chief Minister had also assured to give the present premises of the High Court to AP State and to move over to a suitable place in Gachibowli area for setting up Telangana High Court. Despite this, the Centre has been dilly dallying on the issue, he charged.
Union Minister for Law Sadananda Gouda explained that the Central government was committed to fulfill its promise of creating a separate High Court for Telangana State in accordance with the Reorganization Act. He, in fact, had a detailed discussion with the Chief Ministers of both the States but unfortunately the process got bogged down due to a PIL filed in the High Court of Hyderabad. Since the matter is sub judice, he cannot make any commitment but once the PIL is cleared then the government initiate all measures to create a separate High Court for Telangana State.
The TRS members pointed out that the PIL was disposed off by the High Court three days back and hence wanted the Central government to complete the formalities by writing a letter to the President of India in this regard. The Law Minister pointed out that there should be wider consultations in this regard and hence a meeting of the MPs would be convened shortly besides having consultations with the CMs of both the States and the Chief Justice of AP High Court. He reiterated that the Centre was committed to create a High Court for Telangana State.
The TRS members were not satisfied with the assurance of the Law Minister and insisted for a categorical date by which the process would be completed in setting up the High Court. Despite the Speaker warning the TRS members of serious action if they continued their protests and slogan shouting, there was no change in the situation. Though the Speaker asked other members to raise their issues, they could not do so due to the noisy scenes enacted by the TRS members. The Speaker then adjourned the House till 2 pm.
Even as the high voltage drama was being enacted by the TRS MPs in the Lok Sabha, the Telangana advocates staged a dharna before the High Court in Hyderabad. (NSS)
