12 MLAs suspended for obstructing budget speech

Express News Service
First Published : 24 Feb 2011 03:25:29 AM IST
Last Updated : 24 Feb 2011 11:12:32 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Twelve MLAs belonging to TRS, CPI and BJP were suspended from the Assembly on Wednesday when they tried to disrupt the budget speech of finance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy demanding a resolution on Telangana.

The TRS members tried to snatch the budget copy as the minister began his address at 11.43 am.

However, the minister continued his speech. But his onehour long speech was shouted down by the Seemandhra TDP MLAs, who raised various issues including fee reimbursement.

All along the minister's speech, the TDP MLAs were on their feet raising slogans.

The TDP Telangana MLAs boycotted the budget speech and staged a dharna outside the Assembly. Pandemonium broke out in the House immediately after Ramanarayana Reddy started reading his budget speech.

The TRS members rushed to the minister's seat and obstructed his speech and displayed placards demanding T-state.

When they rushed towards finance minister's chair, the marshals bodily lifted them.

Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana moved a motion suspending seven TRS members.

Later, as the finance minister resumed his address, the CPI and BJP members rushed towards the finance minister but marshals prevented them from doing so. The housing minister then moved a motion for suspension of CPI and BJP member for the day.

Meanwhile, about 12 Congress MLAs belonging to YS Jagan group were on their feet on fee reimbursement issue, leaving the government further embarrassed and later walked out of the House.

Interestingly, some MLAs who included former minister P Subhashchandra Bose and Jayasudha stay put in the House.

The TDP Seemandhra MLAs stood on their seats and constantly raised slogans on price rise and other issues but the Finance Minister went on with his budget presentation.

Earlier in the day, the Deputy Speaker was forced to adjourn the House thrice when the members of TRS and Telangana TDP refused to hear his plea to cooperate for continuation of House proceedings.

Sensing that they would be suspended from the House before presentation of the budget, the TRS members did not enter the House when the session resumed at 10.38 am after the second adjournment.

However, the Deputy Speaker was forced to adjourn the House at about 10.44 am when the agitating Telangana TDP and CPI members with placards in their hands obstructed the proceedings.