Speaker Gaddam: I Have Powers to Act Against BRS MLC Tata Madhu but Did Not Exercise Them
The Speaker said he had spoken to Leader of Opposition K. Chandrashekar Rao before the Monsoon Session and invited him to attend the Assembly but the former chief minister replied that he would come if his health permitted.
Hyderabad:Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar on Tuesday said he had the authority to take action against BRS MLC Tata Madhusudhan over his derogatory remarks against him and his mother, but chose not to, saying he did not believe in the “unilateral” approach adopted during the previous BRS regime.
In an informal chat with mediapersons, Prasad Kumar said he was deeply upset over Monday’s developments and had expected BRS legislators to apologise when the House met on Tuesday. Instead, they tried to divert the issue. “I gave the microphone to Harish Rao expecting him to apologise, but they are trying to divert the issue. That is why I am angry with BRS members for the first time,” he said.
The Speaker said he had never faced such an incident and was emotionally disturbed by the remarks against him and his mother. He said he was unable to conduct the House and had requested that a panel Speaker take over. Senior MLA Kadiyam Srihari was subsequently allowed to occupy the Chair.
Prasad Kumar said he could have suspended BRS legislators, but refrained from doing so. “The Speaker’s jurisdiction extends from Public Gardens to the Assembly premises. But that is not the way. The Congress government does not believe in unilateral action,” he said. He recalled that MLAs had been unilaterally suspended and expelled during the BRS regime, and stressed that he wanted the House to function democratically. He also questioned the BRS argument that the Tata Madhu issue was outside the Speaker’s purview.
The Speaker said he had spoken to Leader of Opposition K. Chandrashekar Rao before the Monsoon Session and invited him to attend the Assembly but the former chief minister replied that he would come if his health permitted. “KCR himself should come and apologise,” the Speaker said.
He said videos showing BRS leaders attacking the police had surfaced and reports would be obtained before any action was taken. He added that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was also serious about allegations of police excesses against women MLAs. Prasad Kumar said the Assembly was following rules framed during the BRS regime. He said he had never previously approached the media over House-related issues but was deeply disturbed by the latest developments.