VIJAYAWADA: On the penultimate day of the ongoing winter session of the AP State Legislative Assembly, ruling and opposition members locked horns over the effectiveness of social welfare schemes being implemented by the YSRC government.
With the Opposition TDP MLAs rushing to the podium raising slogans, eight legislators were suspended from the House for the day. A privilege motion was moved against TDP legislator Nimmala Rama Naidu during the day.
During a short discussion on Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of welfare schemes, TDP’s Rama Naidu said that the YSRC government failed to keep its promise on pensions and YSR Cheyutha, to which Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took strong exception and moved a privilege motion against him for intentionally “misleading the House by spouting lies”. “He should be banned from speaking in the House,” Jagan fumed. Speaker Tammineni Sitaram, later, referred the motion to the privilege committee.
During the debate, Rama Naidu said the government was implementing welfare schemes on one hand and on the other hand putting more burden on the people in the form of increased power bill, cement prices, toll, property tax. “Though the YSRC came to power promising Rs 3,000 as pension, it only enhanced it by Rs 250. The TDP government was already paying Rs 2,000 as social welfare pension,” he pointed out.
Disputing his claim, Minister for Civil Supplies Kodali Nani said the TDP government started paying Rs 2,000 just two months before the elections and the number of pensions was also less. Taking offense to Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu calling YS Jagan Mohan Reddy a “fake CM” during a press conference, the minister said if there is anyone to be called back-stabber and fake, it should be Chandrababu Naidu.
His comments created a furore, with both opposition and treasure benches resorting to verbal duel once again. Minister Botcha Satyanarayana wondered what was wrong in what Nani said. Meanwhile, eight TDP members were suspended from the House, after they rushed to the Speaker Chair, when Chandrababu Naidu was dared for a debate on cooperative dairy, for “sprouting lies” over the AP-Amul partnership.
The drama in the Assembly unfolded with TDP members objecting to lack of discussion over the Andhra Pradesh Disha (Special Courts For Specified Offences against Women and Children) Bill, 2020, when it was moved for consideration. The Bill was passed later. The Speaker asked the Opposition members why they were raising objections after they failed to send the names of the speakers to discuss the Bill, before it was passed.
When TDP MLAs insisted on discussion on the Bill, the Speaker refused to yield and said the Bill was already passed in the House. Miffed over the Speaker’s refusal to allow discussion, the TDP members staged a walkout.
Again, the members of treasure and opposition benches resorted to a verbal spat during the passage of the AP Land Titling Bill and the AP Municipal Laws (second amendment) Bill, 2020, which were returned to the Assembly from the Legislative Council.
Legislative Council rejects four Bills
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council on Thursday rejected four bills including the Andhra Pradesh VAT amendment 2 and 3. Andhra Pradesh Tax on professions, trades and Employment amendment bill was also rejected by the Council. The above three bills were rejected after division in the Upper House. The Municipal Taxes Amendment Bill was also rejected by the Council once again though it was sent back by the Assembly.
Sidelights
Plaster on mouth and wig on head
During a heated discussion on Direct Benefit Transfer, Minister Kodali Nani, responding to the cross-talk and comments of opposition to have a plaster on his mouth, said he will expose who should have a plaster on mouth and who should have his wig removed from the head, hinting that a TDP legislator
has a wig.
‘Not fake, but shake CM for Naidu’
Countering TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s calling YS Jagan Mohan Reddy a fake Chief Minister, YSRC MLA RK Roja said Jagan is not a fake CM, but a shake CM, who will shake up Chandrababu Naidu from top to bottom. “On the first day itself, Naidu was shaken, and sat on the floor,” the YSRC
legislator quipped.
TDP stages protest outside House too
The TDP MLAs and MLCs, led by party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday took out a rally right up to the Assembly premises protesting against the deteriorating law and order situation in Andhra Pradesh. The protesters held placards and raised slogans, decrying the alleged atrocities on the SCs, STs, BCs and Muslims.