CM Kiran Kumar Reddy dares centre over Telangana Bill

Hyderabad: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday challenged the Union government to bring the same Telangana Bill that was sent to the state Legislature, before Parliament, and if it is admitted, he is prepared to quit politics.

Upping the ante a day before the state Legislature concludes the debate on the Telangana Bill, the CM, in a very emotional tone, told the media, “Even the President was misled by the Union home ministry officials who did not correct the lapses in the Bill that are being objected to.”

Speaking to the media in his chambers in the Assembly, he said, “They (the Centre) wants us to give our opinion on the Bill, but we don’t know their opinion on the bifurcation.”

Next: President misled by MHA officials, says Chief Minister

President misled by MHA officials, says Chief Minister

Hyderabad: Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Chief Minis-ter N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said, “There is no mention in the Bill of a financial memorandum, there was nothing on the objects and reasons for bringing the Bill, so how can the legislators discuss the contents without knowing their (the Centre’s) mind and what they are going to do with the concerns being raised.”

He said that any bill should contain these two memorandums. “It is a must, otherwise it cannot be called a full-fledged bill. But they are saying there are no two bills and what they have sent to us is the original bill. I am throwing a challenge to the Centre: let them introduce the Bill that was sent to us, as it is, in Parliament, and get it admitted. I will quit politics permanently.”

He said he is still of the view that the Centre must send the original bill, which contains the financial memorandum and the objects and reasons memorandum, so that the Assembly can express its views on that.

“If something is provided in the two memoranda, we can discuss those aspects. Without that, what are we supposed to talk about?” the Chief Minister asked.

He was asked how the President who is the custodian of the Constitution can send the Bill without considering these issues. “I believe even the President was misled by the Union home ministry’s officials. They should have looked into these issues. They cannot suppress something and pass off the remaining as the original bill. There are definite rules and regulations for preparation of a Bill and introduction of a Bill in Assemblies and Parliament. They seem to have not followed that. And they say there is only one Bill,” Reddy replied.

Training his guns on the Telangana ministers and legislators who have been saying all along that the Assembly is only meant to give its opinion, Kiran Kumar Reddy said, “If this Assembly has no power to reject or return the Telangana Bill, then why are they making a hue and cry about the resolution I intended to move? Why are they afraid of the resolution when they are sure about the role of the Assembly? Why are they obstructing the House? Why should they be afraid of voting in the House?”

The Chief Minister has been criticised by Telangana ministers for not consulting the state cabinet before moving the resolution to reject the Telangana Bill.

The Chief Minister replied to that by insisting that “there is no need. I am the Leader of the House, I have powers. As a matter of fact, whenever issues come before cabinet meetings, if somebody does not like the decision, the Constitution says they should quit. That is all”.

Indirectly taking a dig at PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana, the Chief Min-ister clarified that if someone reads the full text of the resolution he intends to move in the House, he will find that it is only about rejecting the Bill in toto and requesting the President not to permit introduction of the Bill in Parliament.

“Nowhere have I stated that the Bill should be returned. If someone thinks rejecting the Bill and returning the Bill is one and the same, I cannot help it.”

Referring to the demand for allowing clause by clause voting on the T-Bill in the state Assembly, the Chief Minister said that when a similar bill came before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, legislators mo-ved 74 amendments.

In the Bihar Assembly, they moved 365 amendments on a similar Bill, “but here, there are more than 9,000 amendments suggested by the members. How can we ignore all these?”

Justifying his letter to the President Mukherjee seeking three more weeks for debate on the Telangana Bill, Reddy said, “When bifurcation was done in other states there was consensus, here there is no consensus.

So far, only 86 members have spoken. That cannot be taken as the opinion of the entire House. Hence, I requested for more time.”

Next: Telangana ministers ask President not to give more time

Telangana ministers ask President not to give more time

Hyderabad: Cabinet ministers from Telangana on Wednes-day wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee not to grant further extension of time for discussion on the AP Reorganisation Bill.

They also condemned and termed Chief Mini-ster N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s resolution to return the Bill as unconstitutional.

In the letter signed by the 13 Telangana ministers, they said that the Chief Minister is trying to dictate terms to the President.

“What pains us most is the fact that the Chief Minister is trying to dictate the Constitutional head President what his Excellency has to do or not to do in the matters of parliamentary process,” they wrote.

They also said that the Cabinet should act collectively which is not happening.

“It is to bring to your kind notice the steps taken by the Chief Minister is to scuttle the constitutional process for the formation of Telangana,” the Telangana ministers wrote in their letter.