New Delhi: The TRS MP B. Vinod Kumar claimed that the President, before issuing the Polavaram Ordinance, had not elicited the views of the State Legislature and wanted the Government to defer the Bill.
BJD leader Bhratruhari Mahtab said his party was not against the project itself but the “arbitrariness” with which the height of the dam was increased that would inundate 307 adivasi villages in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Meanwhile, BJP patriarch L.K. Advani seemed to have been miffed at the way the AP Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha. After Union home minister Rajnath Singh introduced the Bill, Mr Advani was seen seeking clarifications from him.
Appearing unsatisfied with Mr Singh’s response, Mr Advani was seen telling something to Union ministers Dr Harsh Vardhan, Ms Maneka Gandhi and Dr Jeeten-dra Singh.
After a while, Union minister Santosh Gang-war came to Mr Advani and later Union minister Piyush Goel, who went outside the House twice, apparently carrying the “concerns” of Mr Advani. The BJP leaders were seen rushing to Mr Advani, while the MPs from Telangana stood in the well of the House and created din.
Disapproving the protests, the Speaker put the Bill to voice vote amid the din.
The Polavaram Ordinance was issued on May 28 to facilitate transfer of seven mandals from Telangana to AP so that the villages that face su-bmergence once the Pol-avaram project comes into existence fall under the residuary state.
the TRS and other political parties have been demanding scrapping of the Ordinance.
The Bill will be debated in RS on Monday and with Congress ready to support the Bill, the Government will have no issues in getting it passed in the House of Elders as well.
