Uproar in House as YSV attempts to manhandle TDP MLA

In a record of sorts, a Minister went charging towards the opposition ranks and attempted to manhandle an opposition MLA on the Floor of the House on Monday.

The incident, perhaps unparalleled in the History of AP Assembly, saw the Minister being supported by the Members loyal to former MP and Kadapa leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy who could not tolerate the victimized TDP MLA displaying a placard along with his colleagues.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is understood to have called the Minister involved, Ys Vivekananda Reddy to his Chambers.

 The placard, which read as ‘YSR Robbers’ Gang’ went on display following the Chair’s refusal of constitution of a JLC probe into the irregular land allocations made to Mr Jaganmohan Reddy’s business associates in the city.

The Budget Session had been a witness to the burning issue raised by the opposition leaders who stalled the regular business almost daily.

The issue eluded government’s attention which gave an impression that the state government was shielding the previous controversial land allocations made during the YSR regime, by not conceding to the demand made by the opposition.

On Monday, the TDP Legislators, holding placards pressed the acting Speaker again to give the nod for a JLC enquiry into the cited prime land allocations.

As soon as the Assembly Session began, the TDP Members insisted on constitution of a JLC to probe the illegal land allocations made to the business associates of the YS Jaganmohan Reddy.

The MIM Members too demanded a similar probe on Wakf lands’ allotment.

The MIM was told that an announcement would be made on the said Wakf lands, but the party Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi insisted on a probe.

Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar rejected their demand and adjourned the Session for half an hour.

When the House reassembled, Chintamaneni Prabhakar, TDP MLA from Denduluru, asked the rationale behind Jagan group’s opposition to the constitution of JLC probe into the irregular and controversial land deals.

The TDP Members raised slogans, demanding the JLC enquiry while holding placards which stated ‘YSR Robbers’ Gang’. The placards’ version led to lot of commotion.

Minister for Agriculture Ys Vivekananda Reddy, who is the former chief minister’s brother, was stung by the placards’ display. He went near them and seized the placard held by Mr Prabhakar.

YSV was instantly supported by the MLAs of the Jagan group.

The Minister caught hold of Mr Prabhakar’s shirt which led to near stampede on the Floor. Congress MLA Dwarampudi Adinarayana Reddy also attacked Mr Prabhakar.

Minister for Wakf and Minorities Welfare Mohammed Ahmedullah tried to intervene and pacify the ‘warring’ MLAs but in vain.

Tempers ran high and there was tension in the Well of the House which prompted the Chair to call the marshals who entered the scene.

Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayana expressed regrets that he was witness to such an incident.

The event was unfortunate, said Government Chief Whip Bhatti Vikramarka.

The Floor Leaders, insisting on the Minister’s apology, asked the officiating Speaker to convene the Public Accounts Committee to discuss the issue.

Cutting across party lines, all the parties condemned the ‘incident’ and demanded that both the Houses boycott the Minister for six years.

The TDP Members who demonstrated at Deputy Speaker’s Chambers demanded that the minister YSV be dismissed and boycotted from the House for six years.

The Minister’s attack was part of a drama enacted by the government to sidetrack the constitution of a JLC probe, alleged CPM MLA Julakanti Rangareddy.

Stating that ‘Mafia rule’ had been going on in AP, the CPM MLA said that the government has been trying to be evasive on any enquiry which would expose illegal land dealings. The YSR family members were also afraid of JLC probe and were trying to block high-level probes, he further alleged.

The government and the ruling party Legislators were behaving in such a manner that the democracy was being murdered which the voters would take note and teach them a lesson, the CPM MLA continued.

BJP MLA G Kishen Reddy took exception to the Minister behaving as cited which besmirched the reputation of the House in a democratic set-up.

He demanded that a top-level Committee be appointed for enquiry into today’s incident and also questioned the placards display by TDP and Congress members who were supposed to highlight the problems and seek clarification from the Chair.

“The Minister’s attack was against the democratic norms,” Mr kishen Reddy said.

Demanding an unconditional apology from the Minister in the House, Lok Satta Party MLA Jayaprakash Narayan said that both Houses should discuss the issue and initiate action, which is the responsibility of the officiating Speaker.

Stating that real leadership emerged during crucial hour, Dr Narayan asserted that all party members must react on the incident.