HYDERABAD: In a significant development, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has decided not to disrupt proceedings in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, when the no-trust motion notices given by members of TDP, YSRC, CPM and Congress against the Narendra Modi Government are expected to be examined by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
The party, which had been staging vociferous protests in the Lower House of Parliament for the past fortnight, demanding that the Centre transfer all powers relating to enhancement of total quota of reservations to States, on Monday announced that it had decided not to disturb the proceedings of Lok Sabha.
“We will continue our protest in the House by confining to our seats. But, we will not troop into the well of the House and raise slogans holding placards. We will take part in the debate in Lok Sabha on no-trust motion, if it is allowed by the Speaker as we want to scrutinise the implementation of provisions in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014,” TRS MP B Vinod Kumar said. Addressing a media conference along with his fellow members K Kavitha, K Keshav Rao, AP Jithender Reddy and others, at party headquarters, Telangana Bhavan, here on Monday, Vinod Kumar took strong exception to the argument that the TRS members were protesting in the Lok Sabha only to help the NDA government in avoiding a debate on no-trust motion moved by TDP members.
“Such reasoning is absurd as we have been protesting in the House for enhancement of reservations’ quota right from the day one of the second spell of budget session. The TDP has given no-trust notice only very recently, after withdrawing its ministers from the Modi Cabinet. After enjoying ministerial berths in the Union Cabinet for four years, they (TDP) are now questioning about bifurcation promises,” he criticised.
Earlier, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held an emergency meeting with his party MPs at Pragathi Bhavan here to guide them on the strategy to be adopted in Parliament on Tuesday. During the meeting, according to MPs, Rao directed them not to stage noisy protests in Parliament.
Instead, they have been asked to take part in the debate on no-trust move in order to question the Centre on implementation of promises made to both the Telugu-speaking States, during bifurcation. “Even though we have been protesting for the past fortnight asking the Centre to empower the State to increase total quota of reservations, the NDA government has not given any reply to the issue raised by us and the House was being adjourned,” Rajya Sabha member Keshav Rao said. “With the adjournment taking place for so many days, a misconception is developed among people that the TRS is behind it. In fact, AIADMK is also protesting on Cauveri water issue,” he added.