New Delhi: Lok Sabha was rocked for the third
consecutive day on Thursday over the Telangana issue, which along
with other matters like price rise, women`s reservation and
demand for creation of Bodoland prevented normal functioning
of the House.
The House saw two adjournments in the pre-lunch session
between 11 AM to 12.15 PM and finally for the day at around
2.10 PM, barely ten minutes after it re-assembled.
Trouble began soon after the House met for the day, with
TDP members from coastal Andhra and Rayalseema creating uproar
by protesting the announcement for a separate Telangana state.
Displaying placards reading `We want united AP`, the TDP
members rushed to the well raising slogans.
TDP members K Narayana Rao, M Venu Gopala Reddy, N
Kristappa and N Sivaprasad continued shouting slogans even as
Speaker Meira Kumar asked them not to display placards, saying
the members should observe "sanctity" of the House.
Congress members from Telangana countered the TDP members
by showing placards favouring a separate state and raised `Jai
Telangana` slogans.
The issue highlighted the clear divide between members
from Telangana and Andhra irrespective of party affiliations.
While TDP member from Telangana R Ramesh favoured a
separate state and displayed a `Jai Telangana` placard,
Congress members from Andhra and Rayalseema too were on their
feet demanding united Andhra Pradesh.
In the din, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and Textiles
Minister Dayanidhi Maran replied to a question each.
Amid pandemonium, Bodoland Peoples` Front (BPF) member S
K Bwiswmuthiary too rushed to the well with a placard
demanding separate statehood for Bodoland and raised slogans.
As repeated pleas by the Chair to TDP and BPF members to
return to their seats and a promise that they would be heard
during Zero Hour went unheeded, the House was adjourned for 15
minutes till 11.30 AM.
When the House met again, slogan-shouting by TDP members
continued but the Question Hour went on.
Trouble continued as soon as the Question Hour was over
with four members from TDP storming the well carrying placards
saying, `We want united AP`. They were joined by Bwismuthiary.
Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, son of late Andhra Pradesh Chief
Minister Y S R Reddy, was behind egging on those agitating
members who were demanding a united Andhra Pradesh.
Soon, Samajwadi Party members, including Dharmendra
Yadav, Shailendra Kumar and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh trooped
into the well demanding withdrawal of the Women`s Reservation
Bill, a report on which was presented in Parliament today.
Former union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD) too
came to the well protesting against price rise.
In the din, Speaker Meira Kumar ordered laying of various
reports and statements listed for the day.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee introduced a Bill to
consolidate laws relating to coinage and mints and their
protection, and Home Minister P Chidambaram another bill to
raise salaries and allowances of ministers.
Amid pandemonium, the House took up discussion on Naxalite
and Maoist violence.
CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharia rose to speak, but TDP and
BPF members continued their slogan shouting. At this, Deputy
Speaker Karia Munda adjourned the House till 2 PM.
Unrelenting members from TDP and BPF continued their
protests when the House met again, forcing adjournment for the
day.
PTI
