HYDERABAD: IT’S not fair for the Judiciary to interfere in the functioning of the Legislature. The two institutions must focus on their own affairs instead of meddling with each other’s business. This was the comment made by Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao during an interaction with the editorial team of Express on Wednesday. The Minister was reacting to the High Court’s verdict on Tuesday, annulling the expulsion of Congress Party members -- Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and S A Sampath Kumar -- from the State Assembly.
“The House is supreme and the Assembly will take a call on the High Court judgment. Hence, the issue of whether expelled members can be reinstated will be decided by the House,” he clarified. Commenting on the verdict, the Minister said the expulsion was not an individual decision. “It was a collective decision taken by the entire House. So, the entire Assembly will have to meet again to take stock of the situation,” he said while pointing out that the court’s verdict was exparte as the State Legislature was not a party to the case.
“We have sought views from legal experts and are considering various options ahead of us, including the possibility of challenging the verdict in the Supreme Court. There are many precedents in support of our argument that the House is supreme and we are going through them. A final decision will be taken on this after consultations with Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao,” Harish Rao added. Opposition parties must understand the reason why these members were expelled, Harish Rao said.
“The duo was expelled not for protesting against the treasury benches, but for their barbaric act of throwing the headphones at the Governor with an intention of injuring him. This was admitted by Komatireddy himself to the media. Is it not wrong to try to attack the Governor?” he asked. However when questioned, Harish Rao admitted that during the Statehood movement he too, as a TRS MLA, had protested in the House during Governor’s address. “But we never tried to physically attack the Governor. Criticism and protests are welcome, but not attacks,” he clarified. “We assured the opposition parties that we were ready to hold the House as many days as possible to discuss all issues. Despite our assurance, the Congress Party members created ruckus in the first day sitting of the budget session of the House,” he criticised.
‘Leaders to be treated as expelled members’
The secretariat of State Legislature is unlikely to implement the court order to reinstate expelled Congress members. According to official sources, the two leaders will be treated as “expelled members” only. That means, they are not entitled to get salaries and perks. They will also be not invited to government functions held in their respective Assembly segments.
IRRIGATION Minister Thanneeru Harish Rao, who is Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s nephew, said, his “role” in the State politics after the 2019 polls will be decided by his boss Rao. When the TNIE Editorial Team wanted to know whether he would be in the State Assembly or in the Lok Sabha after the 2019 polls, Harish Rao said he would do whatever the Chief Minister told him. “My political future will be decided by CM sir and the party. Nothing is in my hands.
In fact, I am now busy with Kaleshwaram project work. My immediate aim is to ensure that the project is completed within the stipulated time,” he said. Harish made it clear that there were no differences between his cousin IT Minister KT Rama Rao and him, as being speculated. “There are no differences between us. We two are committed soldiers like other members of KCR’s Cabinet. We work together as per the CM’s command on any issue. We are looking after our respective departments without interfering in each other’s matters,” he said.
Public service at the cost of personal life Right from the inception of the TRS way back in 2001, T Harish Rao has been playing a key role in the pink party. During the days of Statehood movement, he used to be Chandrasekhar Rao’s Man Friday. Harish used to take care of logistics of the party, besides playing the role of trouble shooter, given his close association with the party cadres.
After formation of the first government in the new State, being the irrigation minister post-bifurcation, the young leader is leading his life as busy as a bee, overseeing the construction of irrigation projects such as Kaleshwaram, Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya. When asked whether his busy schedule affects his personal life, Harish said, “My personal life is getting affected a lot, but none can balance all things in life.
If we want to get something, we have to lose something. I have chosen this life to serve people. Attending to people’s problems and addressing their needs give me happiness, every day.”