VIJAYAWADA: The streak of disruptions in the Legislative Council continued for the third consecutive day on Thursday as YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MLCs persisted with their demand for a discussion on the Indapur Dairy and Tirupati Laddu issues.
The Council commenced at 10.04 am on Thursday, with Chairman Moshen Raju taking up the agenda and introducing seven amendment Bills that had already been approved by the Legislative Assembly. The amendment Bills related to Municipal Administration, Electricity Duty, Panchayat Raj, Allopathic Private Medical Care, Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions, and Sri Venkateswara Vedic University.
Later, YSRCP MLCs Varudu Kalyani, M Arun Kumar, and Ramasubba Reddy gave adjournment notices seeking discussion on the same issues. The Chairman rejected the notices and moved on to the Question Hour, following which YSRCP members continued their protest demanding a discussion on the Indapur Dairy issue.
Due to the continued disruption, the Chairman adjourned the House for about 45 minutes. The proceedings resumed at 11.00 am but were adjourned again within three minutes, at 11.03 am, as the disruption continued. The House was later reconvened at 12.42 pm, but proceedings were halted once again at 12.43 pm amid persistent protests, forcing the Chairman to adjourn the House till Friday.
Earlier, before the Question Hour, the Chairman appealed to both the government and YSRCP MLCs to cooperate to ensure the smooth conduct of the Budget discussions.
Reacting to the continued disruption and ruckus by YSRCP MLCs in the Legislative Council, Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu strongly criticised the Opposition, accusing it of deliberately misleading the public and paralysing the functioning of the House.
He said there was no connection whatsoever between Indapur Dairy and Heritage Foods, and alleged that YSRCP members were repeatedly raising the same issue despite clear explanations being given over the past two days.
MLC and LoP Botcha Satyanarayana claimed that his party possesses concrete evidence related to the Heritage and Indapur Dairy issues. He stressed the need for a detailed discussion on the matter’.