Slogan shouting, arguments, members rushing towards the podium, and walk-out scenes were witnessed in the Telangana Assembly on Sunday.
Slogan shouting, arguments between the treasury benches and the Opposition members, members rushing towards the podium, and walk-out scenes were witnessed in the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Sunday.
During the Question Hour, Speaker Madhusudhana Chary gave an opportunity to Congress member G Chinna Reddy to ask questions on the drought-hit mandals, as the latter was a signatory to the question. Reddy asked the government to take steps for curbing migrations from the Mahabubnagar district, and provide fodder and drinking water to the domestic animals as the drought conditions were severe in the State. He also asked the government whether it would pay the hiked Rs. 4 to the Vijaya dairy milkmen.
Later, another signatory and Congress member T Jeevan Reddy asked the government what it had done for the drought-hit mandals till now. Alleging that the government had adopted a negligent attitude in selecting the drought-hit mandals, Jeevan Reddy said that there was no response from the government though he had demanded the inclusion of the remaining 21 mandals of the Karimnagar district to the drought-hit mandals list.
"I approached the High Court on this issue. The Court issued specific orders in this regard, but there is no response from the government," he said, and alleged that the government was neither working by itself nor was responding to even the High Court orders. The farmers were not in a position to get new loans as the government had failed to waive off their existing loans in one go.
Reacting to this, Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said that the government had selected the drought-hit mandals following the guidelines framed for the purpose. In general, the government considered the rainfall and crop yield to announce drought-hit mandals, he said, and added that the State government had sent a proposal of Rs. 3,000 crores to the Centre. The Centre had sanctioned Rs. 790 crores and released Rs. 56 crores, though it had assured a huge amount.
He said that the Vijaya Dairy milk collection had reached six lakh litres with the assurance of an additional payment of Rs. 4 per litre. He said that the government would pay the hike by the end of March.
He said that the land was green wherever sprinklers were used, and that the government would encourage sprinklers and the drip irrigation system. He informed the House that the government was borrowing Rs. 1,000 crores from NABARD to spend for sprinkling and drip irrigation.
He also said that the government had already supplied seeds on subsidy to grow fodder to overcome the problem this summer. The government had also already allotted Rs. 217 crores under non-CRS and Rs. 55 crores under CRS to deal with the rural drinking water problem, and Rs. 36.38 crores for the urban drinking water and Rs. 40 crores to the metro drinking water schemes. He assured that the government would extend help to the farmers in all aspects.
After the Minister's reply, the Speaker tried to take up other listed businesses, but at this juncture the Congress members rushed towards the podium. Surprisingly, Jeevan Reddy rushed towards Pocharam's table and started arguing with him showing some papers. Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari came to the rescue of Pocharam and tried to send Jeevan Reddy back. Congress member Sampath, too, came to Pocharam and persuaded Jeevan Reddy back.
The Congress members now started raising slogans of "anti-farmer government, down down" and "government has failed farmers". Intervening, Kadiam said that Chinna Reddy and Jeevan Reddy had the experience of working as ministers. They had also accepted in the Rules Committee and the BAC that the members needed to extend their support to run the House smoothly.
"It is unfortunate that Jeevan Reddy rushed towards the minister. It is a shameful act on the part of Reddy," Srihari said. He said that the Congress members needed to issue a notice to take up a discussion on the drought, and asked the Speaker to regulate the House.
Once again, Pocharam said that the government had given the court's orders to the Drought Committee which would consider them, and that it was not correct for Jeevan Reddy to express his anger. "Everybody knows what the Congress government did during Jal thoopan," he added.
Jeevan Reddy said that the government had not considered his letter addressed to the Chief Minister, and hence he had approached the court. Pocharam himself was a farmer and he should know the problems of farmers, Jeevan Reddy said.
At this point, the Speaker said that he would take up the issue if the Congress party issued a short notice discussion on it. Government Chief Whip Koppula Eshwar said that the attitude of the Opposition parties was painful. The Speaker then once again tried to take up another business, and once again the Congress members rushed to the podium and raised slogans against the government.
Kadiam said that the Congress was intentionally politicizing the issue though the Speaker had made it clear that he was ready to give a chance to discuss the issue if the Congress served a notice for a short discussion. Eshwar, too, said that the Opposition parties had already agreed in the Rules Committee meeting and the BAC to cooperate in running the House smoothly. But the Congress members continued their slogans in the Well. Amidst the slogans the Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
When the House resumed, CLP leader K Jana Reddy said that he was not a member of the Rules Committee and hence hadn't attended its meeting. He said that the rules were already framed and the Speaker needed to act as per the rules. The Speaker needed to give time to continue the discussion on the drought, he stated.
Panchayat Raj Minister K T Rama Rao then said that it was not proper for Jana Reddy to say that. The House would take up another issue only after Reddy expressed regret for his act, he asserted.
The Speaker tried to take up the demands for grants, but once again the Congress members raised slogans by rising from their seats. Jana Reddy said that there was no need to take up the demands for grants now, and that the discussion on drought ought to be continued. Kadiam said that the Congress needed to approach the issue in another format, and that while the government was ready for a discussion it was not correct on the part of Jeevan Reddy to rush towards Pocharam even after the latter has given an adequate answer. He stressed once again that Jeevan Reddy needed to express regret for his act and only then would the government take up the the drought issue.
BJP floor leader Laxman said that the Speaker needed to take the Opposition leaders' opinions when the House was in a logjam, though he agreed that it was against the traditions for any member to rush directly towards a minister.
The Speaker once again appealed to the Congress members to issue a notice for a short discussion. Then Jana Reddy said that a discussion was already going on the drought, and it would be good to continue the discussion without getting onto a high horse of prestige. If that was disallowed, the Congress would walk out of the House, Jana said, and left the House along with the members.
Kadiam said that the Congress walkout was regretful though the government had made it clear that it was ready for a discussion. The Congress was trying to get political mileage from the issue and hence had left the House, he alleged.
Pocharam said that he was a senior member in the House, and had never seen such scenes earlier. He said that he had also mentioned in his reply about the Karimnagar drought-hit mandals issue.