NEW DELHI: Controversy over Telangana along with a number of other issues today washed out proceedings in Parliament for the second day which also saw two members from Andhra Pradesh, including one from Congress, giving notices for a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha.
Both the Houses were disrupted as members created uproar over creation of separate Telangana state, harassment of Tamil fishermen by Sri Lanka, 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Pathribal fake encounter case and killing of a student from Arunachal Pradesh in Delhi last week.
Trouble started in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as soon as they met for the day, leading to adjournments. Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon and then till tomorrow. Rajya Sabha was also adjourned, first till noon and then till 2 PM and finally for the day.
The Lok Sabha saw members from Andhra Pradesh, cutting across party lines, storming the Well shouting slogans in favor or against separate Telangana. While YSR Congress chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy as also several members from Seemandhra were holding placards for ‘United Andhra Pradesh’, those from Telangana wanted the bill for the separate state to be brought early.
TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and his party colleague Vijaya Shanthi were, however, in the aisle.
The Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Bill is expected to come before Parliament next week and the state is sharply divided on regional lines on the issue.
Meanwhile, Sabbam Hari (Cong) and M Venugopala Reddy (TDP), who are opposed to division of the state, gave the no-confidence notices shortly before the House met for the day.
Speaker Meira Kumar expressed her inability to ascertain the support for the notices in view of the disruptions.
She repeatedly appealed to agitating members to go back to their seats, contending that unless the House is in order, she will not be in a position to count the 50 members, whose backing is required for admitting such notices. Three members, including one from Congress, had given no-confidence motion notices yesterday also. They were V Aruna Kumar (Cong), Modugula Venugopala Reddy and Konakalla Narayana Rao (both TDP).
Besides, DMK members were in the Well drawing attention to Sri Lanka’s harassment of fishermen from Tamil Nadu while Akali Dal members raised the issue of 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
In the Lok Sabha, National Conference members held placards on the Pathribal encounter issue seeking justice. The Army’s clean chit to its own personnel accused of carrying out fake encounter has become a major issue in the Kashmir Valley.
In Rajya Sabha also, members raised issues of Telangana, Tamil fishermen and killing of a student from Arunachal Pradesh in Delhi.
As soon as the House met for the day, members from different political parties demanded a discussion on the death of Nido Taniam after he was beaten up in the national capital last week. Chairman Hamid Ansari agreed to it.
When Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) rose to speak, AIADMK members rushed to Well demanding a discussion on the arrest of Tamil fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities.
TDP members also came rushing to the Well opposing bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
Ansari pleaded with the agitating members to respect the dead. However, as din continued, he adjourned the House till noon.
When the House reassembled, TDP members C M Ramesh and Y S Choudhary trooped into the Well opposing any move to carve out a separate Telangana from Andhra Pradesh. They were carrying placards saying “Save Andhra Pradesh” and “We Want United Andhra Pradesh”.
AIADMK and DMK members too rushed to the Well protesting against the arrest of Tamil fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities and displayed placards saying “Save Fishermen”.
SP, Left and Akali Dal members were also on their feet raising various issues, which could not be heard in the din.
As pandemonium continued, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien adjourned the House till 2 PM and then finally for the day as similar scenes prevailed when the House met again.–PTI
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