HYDERABAD: The state Legislative Assembly plunged into pandemonium on the first day of the monsoon session on Monday when the BJP members stormed the well of the House, demanding a judicial inquiry into the inclusion of private properties in the prohibited list under Section 22-A of the Registration Act.
As soon as the session began, Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar announced that the House would take up the Question Hour and asked Jadcherla MLA J Anirudh Reddy to raise his question. However, BJP MLAs, led by their floor leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy, carrying placards and raising slogans against the government, rushed into the well of the House, demanding an immediate discussion on the Section 22-A issue.
The BJP members continued their protest despite the Speaker assuring them that the issue would be taken up during the short discussion. Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu too urged the BJP members to return to their seats, stating that the government was ready to discuss the issue. At one point, the BJP members tried to rush towards the Speaker’s podium, but the marshals formed a human wall to prevent them from reaching the podium. The BJP MLAs then squatted on the floor near the Speaker’s podium.
When the Speaker directed the marshals to take away the placards, the BJP MLAs tore the papers and threw them into the well of the House.
The minister again intervened and advised the BJP MLAs to serve an adjournment motion and assured them that all issues would be discussed in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting and a decision would be taken accordingly. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy left the House amid the pandemonium created by the sloganeering members. The Speaker then adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes.
Roads & Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy used the opportunity to go on the offensive against both opposition parties, accusing the BRS and BJP of “match-fixing” in the Assembly. He questioned the BJP leaders over the delay in ordering a CBI probe into the alleged `1 lakh crore Kaleshwaram scam, saying the state government had sought the probe from the Centre more than a year ago.