Hyderabad: After five days of wrangling and pandemonium, the state legislative Assembly in a dramatic move on Wednesday took up the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 for bifurcation of the state amid protests by YSR Congress members.
Tourism minister Vatti Vasanth Kumar, a strong supporter of Samaikyandhra, who initiated the debate, opposed it and said that the Bill was against the interests of the 8.5 crore people of Andhra Pradesh.
“The Bill is against Constitutional norms. It is against the wishes of the people of Andhra and Rayalaseema. We strongly oppose the Bill,” he said in the Assembly even as YSRC members shouted slogans and tore up the official papers.
Immediately after his brief initiation of the debate, which ensured a record in the Assembly, Speaker Nadendla Manohar adjourned the House to Thursday amid more slogans by YSRC MLAs. However, the YSRC was totally isolated in the House.
Earlier, opinion built up among Seemandhra MLAs for taking up the Bill and discussing it threadbare since if it was not taken up by January 23, it would be deemed to have been discussed and sent to the president, which would cause great damage to the interests of Seemandhra people.
Manohar, who took up the Bill after the House was adjourned twice during the day, also put to rest the controversy that had kicked up after former legislative affairs minister D. Sridhar Babu initiated the debate on the Telangana Bill.
FM begins T Bill debate in Assembly
Hyderabad: Seemandhra MLAs asserted that the Telangana Bill was neither introduced nor had debate been initiated.
“The Bill was already introduced and debate had begun. Vasanth Kumar took up where I had left,” Sridhar Babu told media persons in the Assembly lobbies.
Manohar took up the Telangana Bill in the afternoon in the third spell after the House was adjourned twice following opposition and support for the Bill from YSRC, Telugu Desam and the TRS members.
Manohar appealed to members to cooperate and initiate discussion on the much-delayed Bill and asked finance minister Anam Ram Narayan Reddy to begin the debate.
Reddy informed the Assembly that the draft AP Reorganisation Bill had been sent by the President of India to the Assembly and sought the cooperation of all members to ensure a smooth discussion.
“We have to discuss the Bill and convey the public opinion to the President. BAC took a decision to discuss the Bill,” he said.
Referring to TD’s demands for information on financial implications, water sharing etc., he said that the government would provide the information sought in one or two days.
“The government will place all information. I request you to cooperate. We should discuss all issues threadbare, the loss and gain. I particularly request YSRC and Telugu Desam to cooperate,” he remarked.
Satisfied with the assurance, agitating TD members in an equally dramatic move resumed their seats but not the YSRC members, who insisted on taking up a resolution and vote first on whether the state should be divided or not. Manohar, however, dismissed the demand.
Leaders fear backlash from people, discuss Telangana
Hyderabad: Fear of the Bill being sent to the President as “deemed to have been discussed”?and a backlash from the people on parties’ failure to protect their interests, overtook all other aspects in the case of Telangana Bill in the Assembly on Wednesday.
During the day, high drama prevailed inside the Assembly and in the lobbies as opinion was building up among political parties and MLAs regarding discussion on the Bill.
Some MLAs were heard consulting eminent lawyers and experts in constitutional law to check whether the Bill could be passed or stalled and whether amendments could be made.
Former finance and legislative affairs minister in Telugu Desam regime, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu told mediapersons that he personally favoured a discussion on the Bill.
“The problem is, if you don’t discuss within the stipulated time, the Bill will be sent “deemed to have been discussed”. This will cause great harm to the people of Seemandhra.
Besides, there will be no chance to seek more time since the MLAs wouldn’t have utilised the allocated time,”?he said.
YSR Congress MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said, “Those participating in the debate are traitors.”
YSRC demands that there should be voting to know who is in favour of the division.
It is very clear now that there is a nexus between Telugu Desam and the Congress to ensure bifurcation of the state.”?
Earlier, TD legislator Gali Muddu Krishnama Naidu was heard describing the AP Reorganisation Bill 2013 as “AP Destruction Bill 2013”.
