BRS-Congress showdown rocks Assembly

Hyderabad: Ministers and ruling party legislators on Monday backed Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy demand that BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao tender an unconditional apology over objectionable remarks made by BRS MLC Thatha Madhu against Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.

Members urged the immediate cancellation of Madhu council membership. The issue triggered emotional scenes in the Assembly, with Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar becoming visibly distressed while Minister Seethakka spoke. Seethakka broke down in tears, demanding stringent legal measures against Thatha Madhu over offensive comments concerning the Speaker deceased mother.

Minister Ponnam Prabhakar condemned the offensive remarks while criticizing BJP members for allegedly obstructing proceedings during the discussion. He alleged a tacit understanding between the BJP and BRS to divert public attention from the controversy. Prabhakar requested the examination of Assembly records regarding the conduct of two BRS members, calling for strict penalties including permanent expulsion. He further sought the registration of cases under the SC ST Prevention of Atrocities Act against the concerned legislators. Targeting the BJP, Prabhakar accused it of adhering to a feudal ideology and questioned its silence over the insult to the Dalit Speaker. Minister Jupally Krishna Rao demanded the cancellation of Thatha Madhu membership for using abusive language against the Speaker and insulting his mother. He declared that insulting a deceased person who committed no wrong was unforgivable and eroded legislative decorum. Krishna Rao criticized BRS leaders for boycotting proceedings while continuing to draw salaries, urging KCR to attend the Assembly or resign. Labour Minister Vivek Venkata Swamy, along with MLAs Adi Srinivas, Beerla Ilaiah, Gaddam Vinod, and KR Nagaraj, also participated in the deliberations.

Beerla Ilaiah announced that the SC community would organize a Saavu Dappu protest at KCR Erravelli farmhouse on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Gaddam Vinod demanded action against BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy, Thatha Madhu, and MLC Naveen Kumar Reddy, pointing out that unchecked previous insults against senior MLA Kadiyam Srihari emboldened such behavior. The discussion will continue on Tuesday following an adjournment by Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar upon the request of Legislative Affairs Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu for a BAC meeting.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Office released a video purportedly showing Thatha Madhu making the objectionable statements. Reports indicated that Legislative Council Chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy is considering action against Madhu, including potential expulsion from the Council. Earlier in the day, Congress legislators met the Speaker to express solidarity before conferring with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to push for stern action. The ongoing political row reflects deepening tensions between the ruling party and opposition benches over legislative propriety, decorum, and accountability in the state assembly. Ruling leaders maintain that public respect for constitutional officers must be protected through decisive enforcement, preventing future disruptions, setting precedent, and ensuring parliamentary standards remain upheld across all legislative proceedings.

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