Telangana Assembly Witnesses Noisy Scenes

The Telangana Assembly echoed with heated arguments between the treasury benches and the main Opposition party the Congress during a short discussion on the crop loan waiver, minimum support price and allied agricultural matters, on Wednesday.

The war of words started when Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao alleged that there was not a single member in the House from the Congress, which was always trying to give an impression that it had great love for the farmers, when the discussion on these issues impacting the farmers was going on.

On hearing the remark made by Rao, CLP leader K Jana Reddy, who was just entering the House at that time, countered the former asking him why the Chief Minister was not in the House when such an important discussion was going on, and that that showed the love of the government for the farmers.

Countering that, Rao said that Congress leader Jeevan Reddy had spoken animatedly on the subject, but was not there in the House when the agriculture minister was giving a reply to the discussion.

At this juncture, Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary left his seat and Deputy Speaker Padma Devender Reddy occupied the chair. She tried to silence Jana Reddy who was asking for a mike to counter Harish Rao. She insisted that Leader Of Opposition take his seat.

Jana Reddy continued his appeal for a mike, and Harish Rao again made some criticism against the opposition members, inflaming them further. The Speaker nevertheless asked Minister For Agriculture Pocharam Srinivas Reddy to continue his speech. When he tried to do that, the Congress members drowned him out with shouts seeking a mike for Jana Reddy. They also rushed into the well and raised slogans against the Chair. Jana Reddy repeatedly asked the Chair for a mike, and Padma Devendar Reddy gave the mike after some time.

Fuming at Padma Devender Reddy, Jana Reddy said that his party knew why the Speaker had left the Chair and why his Deputy took it. "This is all a drama," Jana Reddy shouted. Intervening, Harish Rao asked Jana Reddy to withdraw his remarks against the Chair. Withdrawing his remarks, Jana Reddy said that the Chair was discriminating against the opposition benches and not even looking at them. He also said that the Chair was not giving enough time to the opposition members to talk.

At this juncture, the Chief Minister entered the House and the Agriculture Minister continued his speech.