Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Assembly was
abruptly adjourned on Friday following uproar by Telugu Desam
Party MLAs over the remarks made by a Congress MLA Amanchi
Krishna Mohan, facing corruption and criminal intimidation
charges, against Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu.
Krishna Mohan, MLA from Chirala constituency in Prakasam
district, sought to defend himself during zero hour following
allegations that he and his brother have evaded tax to the
tune of Rs 5 crore in sand quarrying.
The Congress MLA was reacting to a reference made against
him by TDP legislator A Revanth Reddy in the House yesterday.
Revanth quoted a report by the Vigilance and Enforcement
Department on the misdeeds of the Congress MLA and demanded
that a House Committee be appointed to inquire into the
allegations.
While making a statement in his defence, Krishna Mohan
made certain remarks against Chandrababu Naidu and referred to
previous instances where the latter obtained stay from courts
to stall proceedings into corruption cases.
"I have not obtained any stay order and am ready for any
probe against myself and my brother," the Congress MLA said.
The TDP MLAs, however, took serious exception to Krishna
Mohan's remarks against Chandrababu Naidu and stormed the
Speaker's podium.
Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar, who was in the Chair,
asked the TDP MLAs to resume their seats and not disturb the
proceedings. As the din continued, Manohar adjourned the House
till Tuesday.
Earlier, there was a wordy duel between the Leader of
Opposition and Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah
over the World Bank conditions for a Rs 4,000 crore loan for
the Nagarjuna Sagar project modernization works.
While Ponnala asserted that there were no conditions set
by the World Bank for granting the loan, Chandrababu said he
had proof to prove the former's claim wrong.
"The Minister thinks he is too intelligent. But I have
proof to show that there is a clear condition that the
government install water meters to levy user charges
accordingly from farmers," Naidu said.
The Minister objected to the TDP leader's remark and
said he was ready to convene an all-party meeting to clear
doubts over the World Bank loan.
Chief Minister K Rosaiah intervened to say that the
government has not signed the agreement yet with World Bank
for the loan.
"But the loan comes without any conditions," Rosaiah
said.
Later, during Question Hour, the TDP members protested
the manner in which the state government was enhancing
value-added tax on essential commodities like pulses while
collecting meager tax from miners.
"While a 14.5 per cent VAT is being imposed on pulses and
other food items, only four per cent VAT is being charged on
minerals. This has been imposing heavy burden on common people
while the state too lost a lot of revenue."
"VAT on minerals like iron ore should be enhanced to 32.5
per cent so that essential commodities could be spared the
burden on higher tax," TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy said.
But, with the government not responding to his
suggestion, the TDP MLAs rose to their feet and registered
their protest.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 26, 2010, 18:11