The MIM's Akbaruddin Owaisi objected to the Speaker taking up a discussion on demands without tabling the relevant policy and "outcome budget" documents.
MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi expressed strong objection over the Speaker taking up a discussion on demands without tabling the relevant policy statements on demands and the "outcome budget" documents.
After the Congress party members walked out on Sunday protesting against the government not continuing the discussion on drought conditions in the State, the Speaker took up the discussion on demands for grants and asked TRS member Guvvala Balaraju to initiate the discussion.
Sharply reacting to it, Owaisi said that the government needed to give a day's time to the members to read the documents after tabling them. The government had tabled only the Housing and Minority Welfare demands and the outcome budget, he said. The Speaker then said that the other books were given the earlier day. Owaisi replied that the government had given the books only at 11pm on Saturday night.
BJP Floor leader Dr K Laxman, too, said the same, and added that the government should initiate the discussion on Monday, after giving time to the Opposition parties. TDP member A Revanth Reddy, too, said that the Opposition parties could prepare on the subject if the books were given a day earlier. He requested the government to continue the discussion on drought today as the discussion had already been held for some time. CPM member Sunnam Rajaiah, too, supported Revanth Reddy.
However, the Speaker tried to take up the discussion on demands once again anyway. Objecting to it, Owaisi said that it was not proper for the Speaker to take up demands, and wanted action be taken against the persons responsible for delay in providing the books to the members. CPI and YSRCP members Ravindra Kumar and Payam Venkateshwarlu respectively, too, wanted the Speaker to continue the discussion on the drought.
The Speaker however asked TRS member Balaraju to start the discussion. Reacting seriously, Owaisi said that it was unfortunate that the Speaker was allowing the discussion that day. Panchayat Raj Minister K T Rama Rao said that Owaisi was contradicting his own statement. "First Owaisi said that there was no problem if the ruling Party took up the discussion on demands, and now the same member opposes that," he said.
Owaisi responded saying that demands and outcome on only Minority Welfare and Housing had been tabled, and so the members would need to speak only on them today. If not, the MIM would stage a walkout, he said. "I don't want to be part of the House if it takes up discussion on other demands," he said.
Admitting the mistake, KTR said that the mistake would not be repeated in future, and that the government would provide the demand notes on time in the future.
Laxman said that the issue related to the prestige of the Speaker, and not those of the ruling and Opposition parties. "We, too, will stage a walkout if the Speaker takes up a discussion on demands," he said. At this juncture, the Speaker adjourned the House for a tea break.
After the House resumed, the Speaker asked Balaraju to initiate a discussion on Minority Welfare and Women & Child Welfare. The Speaker adjourned the House after Balaraju's speech.