Dy Speaker Padma Devender Cries At D K Aruna Jibe

The Budget Session of the Telangana Assembly on Tuesday saw a slugfest between the ruling TRS and the Opposition as Congress member D K Aruna made some "derogatory" remarks against Deputy Speaker Padma Devender Reddy, sitting in the Chair, who got into tears.

D K Aruna made a snide comment when another Congress member was speaking that those without "culture" were conducting the House. Reddy immediately asked what Aruna meant by that, but the issue was dropped as no one pursued it. However, Legislative Affairs minister Harish Rao picked up the thread again later quoting Aruna's comments from the records, and asked her to tender an unconditional apology and withdraw her indecent remarks, or face suspension.

This prompted Leader Of Opposition K Jana Reddy to say that such things are said in the flow in heated debates, and should not be taken seriously. Rao was not convinced by Jana Reddy's talking the issue down, and he warned that he would have to use Section 319 to suspend the Congress member if she failed to react properly.

Citing that the Andhra Pradesh Assembly had suspended YSR Congress Party MLA R K Roja for one year for a similar act even though it was off the record there, Rao stated that here it was on record, and they, too, would certainly take serious action against Aruna.

He actually started moving the motion for suspension, but Jana Reddy again intervened saying the comments were not directed at the Chair, promoting Padma Reddy to ask who they were targeted at then.

Aruna then denied making any comments of that nature at all. Padma Reddy then chose to just drop the issue. However, there were tears in her eyes.

Earlier, Whip G Sunitha also sought the suspension of D K Aruna for making such comments.