AP: Council Chairman, Minister Clash Over Following Procedure in House
When his repeated appeals for order failed, the council chairman adjourned the house for the day
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council witnessed a peculiar situation with chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju rejecting the appeal of Legislative Affairs minister Payyavula Keshav to allow the government to make a statement on TTD laddu prasadam before taking up a short discussion on the matter.
The procedural wrangle started soon after Moshenu Raju announced that the short discussion on TTD laddu prasadam will be taken up. He invited MLC Chandrasekhar Reddy to open the discussion on the issue.
However, ruling party members led by Keshav stood up and sought continuance of the Question Hour. The chairman told the minister that he (Moshenu Raju) has already announced that all questions posed during the Question Hour are deemed to have been answered.
“There is no chance of allowing it. As a minister you know the rule position,” the council chairman stated.
Thereafter, the Legislative Affairs minister insisted that Endowments minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy be allowed to make a statement on the TTD Laddu Prasadam. Moshenu Raju disallowed it, quoting the rule position that the government can only reply once council members, including those of the opposition, speak on the subject.
He went on to advise the government to come in a different format if it wants to make a statement on the TTD laddu prasadam first.
Following this, minister Keshav asked the chairman, “Why are you going for defence (of the opposition members)?”
The Council Chairman retorted asking the minister, “Why are you encouraging the members to insist on resuming the Question Hour despite knowing the rule position, when the questions are deemed to have been answered.”
This led to a commotion in the house with both the ruling and opposition parties sticking to their position.
Leader of Opposition Botsa Satyanaryana slammed the government for making God get into a controversy. Minister Keshav said, “You (opposition members) cannot dictate the government on how to run business in the house.”
With the Chairman allowing the opposition members to speak on the laddu prasadam and asking the government to give a reply and not make a statement, the house witnessed pandemonium.
When his repeated appeals for order failed, the council chairman adjourned the house for the day.