HYDERABAD: Twenty-two BRS legislators were suspended from the Telangana Assembly for the remainder of the monsoon session on Wednesday after they disrupted proceedings by raising slogans and entering the Well of the House.
The ruckus began soon after the House assembled, with BRS members raising slogans such as “We want justice”. BRS working president KT Rama Rao also moved an adjournment motion seeking a discussion on the alleged high-handedness of police against the party’s women MLAs two days ago and remarks allegedly made by some ruling Congress members wishing death upon BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.
The BRS members refused to return to their seats despite repeated appeals from Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu.
The Speaker said he would examine whether the BRS members had submitted their demands in writing.
Vikramarka said he and other Congress leaders wished KCR a healthy and long life and a prolonged career in public service. He urged the BRS members to raise their concerns from their seats rather than behaving in an intimidating or aggressive manner.
The Deputy Chief Minister also referred to reports that BRS leaders had carried out a “purification” ritual by sprinkling turmeric water near KCR’s farmhouse at Erravelli after Congress workers and Dalit activists held a protest there on September 8.
The protest was against alleged abusive remarks made by BRS MLC Tata Madhusudhan Reddy against Speaker Prasad Kumar.
Vikramarka questioned the BRS over what he described as the humiliation of Dalits and said the government could not accept any further insult to the Speaker.
“We are not here to bear any more humiliation and insult. It’s a question of self-respect,” he said.
Legislative Affairs Minister Sridhar Babu accused the BRS members of attempting to prevent the House from functioning and said the government wanted to conduct the Question Hour and inform people about its work.
Following the disruption, Sridhar Babu moved a motion seeking the suspension of the BRS members. The Speaker subsequently announced the suspension of all 22 legislators under the relevant rules.
The suspended BRS MLAs include KT Rama Rao, Anil Jadhav, T Harish Rao, G Jagadish Reddy, Gangula Kamalakar, P Kaushik Reddy, Madhavaram Krishna Rao, Kova Laxmi, K Manik Rao, Chinta Prabhakar, Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, Vemula Prashant Reddy, Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, P Sabita Indra Reddy, Kalvakuntla Sanjay, T Srinivas Yadav, D Sudheer Reddy, V Sunita Laxma Reddy, Kaleru Venkatesh, Vijayudu and K P Vivekananda.
(With inputs from PTI)