TS, AP raise a stink over toilets in Council complex

LOOS & WOES

Hyderabad: Toilets inside the building complex housing both the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Legislative Councils have become a bone of contention among the members of both the legislature bodies. For the first time, the toilets adjacent to the chambers of AP Legislative Chairman A Chakrapani remained locked following an official order.

Telangana Legislative Council Chairman K Swamy Goud expressed displeasure over the development. He said they were never locked in the earlier occasion. “What makes Telangana and Andhra Pradesh different with regard to toilets?” he questioned. Swamy Goud called an official from AP Legislative Council and asked him to open the locks.

The official expressed his inability to do so saying that they had instructions from the AP Assembly’s Secretary, K Satyanarayana Rao not to open the locks when the council was not in session. One of the MLCs present on the occasion felt this as an offence, as the provisions allocated were not outside of the State.

“How come a single State has ownership of toilets, when the entire complex is holding Legislative Councils of both States?” asked TRS MLC Karne Prabhakar. After speaking to the official from AP, Swamy Goud wondered if the issue should be taken up with AP Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao.

It is believed that the fear that the toilets would be damaged has prompted the officials of AP to lock the toilets. According to AP officials, opening the locks may invite trouble to them from higher-ups.

By Md Nizamuddin