BRS’ brouhaha in Assembly over ‘sister jibe’ by Revanth

Hyderabad : The BRS members created a ruckus in the Assembly on Thursday, demanding CM A Revanth Reddy withdraw his comments against party MLAs Sabita Indra Reddy and Sunita Laxma Reddy.

The BRS MLAs, who protested at the CM’s chambers, were taken into custody by the police and shifted to their party office, Telangana Bhavan. As the day’s proceedings commenced, the MLAs came to the House wearing black badges. They sat in the well, raising slogans against the CM. Amid the raising of Legislative Affairs, Minister D Sridhar Babu introduced the Young India Telangana Skill University (public-private partnership) Bill, 2024.

With Speaker G Prasad stating he would allow members to speak after discussion on the Bill, the BRS members came to the well and raised slogans of ‘Tana shahi nahi chalega’, ‘CM down down’. While the discussion continued, the MLAs raised slogans and clapped continuously.

AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi wanted the Speaker to keep the House in order. He said the government should either take a decision to allow the BRS members to speak (to which they have the right) or the Speaker should suspend them. “Either have the courage to give mike or gather the courage to suspend them,” he said.

Akbaruddin said there were precedents when, amid pandemonium, the Speaker called the agitating members and talked to them. "Here, I don’t see such things. We came prepared to speak on the Appropriation Bill, but the Bill was passed. You can't take away our rights,” Owaisi quipped.

Sridhar Babu said the government will not suspend the members. The government was giving ample opportunity for members to take part in debate. It is also their responsibility to cooperate with the chair. He requested that Owaisi suggest to BRS members to resume seats.

The BJP floor leader Maheshwar Reddy also found fault with the BRS members protest and not being allowed to speak in the Appropriation Bill. Reacting to this, the BRS MLAs raised slogans ‘hai hai kya huwa... bade bhai chote bhai ek ho gaya’, ‘Bade Bhai, Chote Bhai’.

K Sambasiva Rao (CPI) also objected to sloganeering by the BRS members, because of which he was deprived of speaking on the Appropriation Bill. Rao said he had sympathy for the two women MLAs. There is a need to see whether the comments made were deliberate; one thing that should be noted is that there is a brother-sister relationship between Revanth and Sabita. He wanted the Speaker to adjourn the House, talk to members, and take up proceedings.

All the male BRS members walked out and staged dharna in front of the CM’s chambers, while the three female MLAs were on their feet. Later, after standing for hours, they also left the House.