VIJAYAWADA: Taking serious note of the alleged derogatory remarks made by YSRC leader Ambati Rambabu against Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, the ruling TDP, seconded by ally BJP, on Tuesday sought stringent action and moved a privilege motion against him.After Chief Whip Palle Raghunatha Reddy moved the motion on the floor of the House, TDP MLAs, including Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, Meesala Geetha, and Kuna Ravi Kumar, and BJP floor leader P Vishnu Kumar Raju termed the alleged remarks made by Ambati, a former legislator, as not only an attempt at casting aspersions on Kodela as an individual but also an attack on the Chair of the House.
“It is unfortunate to make such allegations against the Speaker. We should not take such statements lightly as it will encourage recurrence of such acts in the future. There is every reason to take stringent action against the YSRC leader for making such remarks against the Chair,’’ said P Vishnu Kumar Raju.
Government Whip Kuna Ravi Kumar opined that action against Rambabu should be such that no one in the future dares make such remarks against the Speaker or the members of the House. Going a step further, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy said the Speaker should also summon the publisher of the vernacular daily which carried the report criticising the Speaker. The Speaker said that as sought by the members, action will be decided after holding consultations with Chief Minister.
What is a Privilege Motion?
A privilege motion is a notice by any member of either House of a State legislature or Parliament, against anyone who is accused of breach of privilege. Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities enjoyed by MPs, MLAs and MLCs, individually and collectively, so that they can effectively discharge their functions
When any of these rights and immunities is disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament or the state legislature