BJP members stall proceedings in House; demand probe into Sec 22A

Hyderabad: BJP members stalled the Assembly proceedings on the first day of the Monsoon Session, demanding a discussion and inquiry into Section 22A, forcing Speaker G Prasad Kumar to adjourn the House during Question Hour. The House began with the mandatory recitation of Vande Mataram, the National Anthem Jana Gana Mana and the State anthem Jaya Jaya Hey Telangana. The Speaker then took up Question Hour and asked Congress member Anirudh Reddy to raise supplementary questions.

While Reddy was speaking, BJP members led by Legislative Party leader A Maheshwar Reddy entered the well carrying placards demanding an “Inquiry on Section 22A”. They raised slogans, while Maheshwar Reddy tore and threw agenda papers into the air. Some BJP members also sat on the floor of the well while raising slogans.

Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu said the government itself was ready to discuss Section 22A and that the issue would be taken up at the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting for a short discussion. He accused the BJP members of coming to the Assembly to do politics despite the government agreeing to discuss the matter.

Speaker Prasad Kumar said holding placards was not a good practice and directed marshals to remove them.

Intervening, R&B Minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy alleged that the BJP and BRS had colluded, saying the BRS was protesting outside while the BJP stalled proceedings inside. He also alleged that despite the State seeking a CBI inquiry into the Kaleshwaram project, the Centre had not initiated one in the last one-and-a-half years.

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