Members of the Telugu Desam Party disrupted the proceedings on Day One of the 43rd Legislative Council session of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, forcing adjournment of the House twice in quick succession.
Chairman Koyye Moshen Raju’s announcement that the adjournment motions moved by the TDP and the PDF were being rejected, sparked an uproar.
TDP members P. Ashok Babu, K. Srikanth, V. Chiranjeevi Rao and Panchumarthi Anuradha moved the adjournment motion seeking a discussion on the arrest of their party president N. Chandrababu Naidu in the skill development scam, while Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) leaders K.S. Lakshmana Rao, P. Venkateswara Rao and Sk. Babji wanted a discussion on the ‘contentious’ Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
Even as Mr. Lakshmana Rao insisted that a thorough discussion on the CPS was necessary as it involved the future of lakhs of employees in the State, the TDP members shouted slogans demanding withdrawal of the cases against Mr. Naidu and demanded justice.
The Chairman’s repeated appeals to the members of the TDP, who surrounded his podium, went unheeded, prompting him to adjourn the House. Amidst the din, Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana said the government was ready to discuss the issue and said the members should first allow the question-and-answer session to be completed. But his voice was drowned in the noise of the unrelenting TDP members, forcing the Chairman to adjourn the House.
Even as the House reassembled, TDP member Kancharla Srikanth squatted on the floor at the Chairman’s podium. The latter insisted that he leave the place, but in vain.
Other TDP members meanwhile, raised slogans of ‘Save Democracy’ and “We want Justice”. A futile attempt to start the business with the PDF member Sk. Sabji raising the issue of the old pension scheme was hindered by loud sloganeering of the Opposition leaders and the Chairman announced adjournment of the House.
