Kodela chastises Jagan as YSRCP raises roof

Hyderabad: A vexed AP Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao on Wednesday strongly warned the Leader of the Opposition, YS Jaganmohan Reddy, not to interrupt the business and try to take the House into his hands. Reacting to the behavior of the YSRCP in the House, Kodela stated categorically that the YSRCP was adopting a strategy of maintaining silence while Jagan and other party members were speaking, and would disrupt the business when Ministers or ruling party Members were speaking.

• YSRCP adopting obstructionist strategy in House
• They maintain & demand silence when Jagan speaks
• But, they create disturbances when Ministers speak
• Speaker advises patience in larger interests of State

The Speaker also levelled a serious charge that Jagan was in fact forcing his members to troop into the well of the House in order to cause commotion in the House and block the functioning of the House. He chastised Jagan, saying that it was not good for the society, and suggested that the YSRCP Members listen attentively when the Ministers replied to their queries. They could always seek any clarification later, if required, he noted.

Perhaps, annoyed by the Speaker’s words, thae angry opposition staged walkout at the end of the debate on the day. Earlier, Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu urged the Speaker to rescue the treasury benches from the opposition party. During the debate on the grants for budget demands relating to welfare of SC, ST, BC, Minority and Women, YSRCP Member Eswari criticised that Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu neglected the welfare of STs in the State. Replying to her, Tribal Welfare Minister Ravela Kishore Babu said that former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy used the poor Tribal people as vote-bank and looted them after coming to power.

He also blamed that the precious mines and natural resources of the tribal people were exploited largely by the YS family. Ravela said that YSR diverted the use of SC and ST funds for developing Hussain Sagar Lake and other works, whereas Chandrababu Naidu was working towards their welfare.

Jagan at this stage got up and argued that the government did not allocate sufficient funds for implementing pension scheme and other welfare schemes. He said that during YSR’s rule, he gave utmost priority to SCs and STs, but Chandrababu Naidu allocated meager funds for them and it was no way adequate. YSRCP Member Mutyala Naidu criticised that Chandrababu Naidu did not join the TDP when it was started by former Chief Minister NT Ramarao, since he didn’t have faith and confidence on NTR.

Mutyala Naidu also said that after NTR, the only person who worked for welfare of BCs was YSR. Minister for Agriculture Prathipati Pullarao defended that AP was the only State government in India which presented the first BC Sub- Plan in the budget for the welfare of BCs. He said that all this credit went to Chandrababu Naidu only. BJP Floor Leader Vishnu Kumar Raju urged the government to make some budgetary allocations to the economically backward people in the category of forward classes.