Protests mar Assembly proceedings

Hyderabad: It is not just Parliament that is facing frequent disruptions. Even the Telangana Assembly on Monday witnessed a “violation of rules” when the opposition BRS MLAs came to the House with placards protesting over the incident of handcuffing of a tribal farmer and highhandedness of the police against the farmers who are opposing the ongoing land acquisition process.

As per rules, display of placards and sloganeering is not allowed. Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar instructed the marshals to take away the placards from the MLAs. At this point, the BRS MLAs raising slogans against the government trooped into the Well of the House demanding a discussion. When repeated appeals from the Speaker, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Minister for Legislative Affairs D Sridhar Babu, and others failed to restore order, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.

Interestingly, the leader of the Opposition K Chandrasekhar Rao continues to keep away from the Assembly. Following the disruption of the proceedings on Monday, the House could not take up the debate on the new Tourism policy.

In fact, the day began with protests from the BRS members amidst the din. The Speaker adjourned the House for a tea break. When it reassembled and Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao began his speech on the Tourism sector, the BRS MLAs once again raised slogans.

The Speaker promised to provide an opportunity for BRS MLA T Harish Rao to speak and urged the main opposition members to return to their seats. As the slogan shouting continued, he adjourned the House for the day.

Addressing reporters after the adjournment of the House, BRS working president K T Rama Rao criticised the government for not taking up debate on the arrest of farmers on November 11 at Lagacharla when officials were attacked by some people.

Congress whip Adi Srinivas countered the BRS saying they were not sincere in raising people’s issues in the Assembly and want to waste the precious time of the House.

The BRS is raising a hue and cry about the arrest of farmers in connection with the attack on government officials, but peasants were handcuffed during the previous BRS regime in Khammam, he alleged.

Later, the BRS members held a protest at the assembly entrance in the legislature premises against the Congress government and held placards condemning a farmer being taken to hospital in handcuffs last week.