Hyderabad: The Budget session of the Telangana Legislature got off to a rocky start on Monday when Legislative Council chairman Swamy Goud was injured in the eye by headphones thrown at the podium by Congress MLA Komatireddy Venkat Reddy to protest the Governor’s joint address to the House. The headphones struck Mr Goud who had to be rushed off to the Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital soon after the Governor’s speech ended. The session began on a stormy note with Congress MLAs and MLCs tearing copies of the Governor’s speech and throwing paper balls at him.
The House turned into a war zone with Congress MLAs/MLCs and marshals engaged in a scuffle throughout the 30-minute Governor’s address. As soon as the Governor began his speech, Congress MLAs tried to storm the well of the House, raising slogans against the government. They were protesting farmers’ suicides and the failure of the TRS government to fulfil its major poll promises in the past four years. Sensing trouble, the Speaker deployed around 50 marshals who stopped the Congress MLAs/ MLCs from proceeding towards the podium.
The Governor, meanwhile, continued his address unfazed by the protests. Soon after the Governor left, Mr Goud was rushed to hospital. Ministers, MLAs and officials present were shocked to know about the injury to Mr Goud who had remained seated in his chair till the Governor completed his speech and left the House. A minor surgery of the eye was required. Mr Goud will be kept in hospital for a day for observation and will be discharged on Tuesday.
