VIJAYAWADA: Friday’s sessions of both AP Legislative Assembly and State Legislative Council remained disrupted on the second consecutive day, with Telugu Desam members continuing to disrupt the proceedings of the Monsoon Session protesting against the arrest of their party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram adjourned the House twice on Friday amid ruckus by TD MLAs. Sitaram suspended two Telugu Desam MLAs for rest of the session. Another three TD legislators were suspended for one day. Opposition members reacted by boycotting the morning session.
The AP Legislative Council too witnessed uproarious scenes. Council chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju ended up suspending three TD MLC, while the other Telugu Desam members staged a walkout.
A short discussion on AP Skill Development Corporation scam had been scheduled on Friday in the State Legislative Assembly. But as soon as the Question Hour commenced to discuss estimates of relief and rehabilitation at Mulapeta Port, the TD MLAs rushed to the Speaker’s podium and surrounded Sitaram. Some Telugu Desam legislators protested by climbing onto the benches. Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna could be seen blowing a whistle. TD MLA Gadde Rammohan too blew the whistle.
Finance minister Buggana Rajendranath objected to the pandemonium, saying in a democracy there are established procedures to protest. But the protests continued. The Speaker then adjourned the House for nearly 20 minutes, though the TD legislators did not leave the Speaker’s podium.
Similar situation continued when the House resumed proceedings. TD legislators continued the commotion amid blowing of whistles.
Following this, Speaker Sitaram suspended Kinjarapu Atchannaidu and Bendalam Ashok from the entire current session.
Water resources minister Ambati Rambabu pointed out that opposition party MLAs are bent on disrupting proceedings, though the treasury members are ready to discuss any subject.
As the tumult continued, the Speaker suspended three TD MLAs – Nimmala Rama Naidu, Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary and Velagpudi Ramakrishna for one day. The rest of TD members boycotted the Assembly proceedings protesting the suspension.
Following this, former minister Kurasala Kannababu, ex-minister Perni Venkataramaiah alias Nani and the finance minister spoke on the skill development scan and Naidu’s involvement in it in detail. Later the Speaker adjourned the Assembly to meet again on September 25.
Slogans, whistles disrupt council proceedings
As the AP Legislative Council began its business for the day, TD members climbed up the podium of chairman Moshenu Raju. They raised slogans “Save democracy, lift cases against Naidu,” while holding aloft placards and blowing whistles.
Water resources minister Ambati Rambabu said the government is ready for a discussion on September 26 on the arrest of Naidu. But the TD legislators went on protesting. Consequently, the chairman adjourned the house for 10 minutes.
When the Council resumed business, a large posse of marshals guarded the chairman’s podium. Tthe TD members continued their protest. Amidst the din, the chairman again adjourned the Council for a brief period. When the upper house met for the third time, the TD members continued to disrupt the proceedings.
At this point, municipal administration minister Adimulapu Suresh proposed suspension of three TD members from the Council. The chairman suspended Kancherla Srikanth for the current session while B.T. Naidu and Anuradha got suspended for the day.
Moshenu Raju ordered the suspended members to leave the house. But they did not. The marshals then physically removed the two legislators, while Anuradha got escorted out. The remaining TD members staged a walk-out.
