Bedlam marks opening Session of Budget Session

If only Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu had taken a hint from the city police and ordered a three-tier security ring inside the Assembly Hall, a semblance of decorum might have been maintained, rather than the bedlam which prevailed on the first day of the Budget Session on Thursday.

Chaos, bedlam, uproar, riotous were the words coming to mind to describe the scene as MLAs belonging to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the Telugu Desam Party sought to disrupt Governor ESL Narasimhan’s address to the Joint Sitting of the Assembly and the Legislative Council.

Microphones were uprooted and the Governor’s lectern followed suit as the agitating MLAs sought to disrupt Mr Narasimhan’s speech.

The chaotic scenes erupted shortly after the Governor began his speech when the TRS MLAs uprooted the mike and overturned the lectern.

This was followed by TDP MLAs Revanth Reddy and Mahender Reddy overturning the chairs. While Mr Revanth Reddy proceeded ahead towards the Governor, Mr Mahender Reddy was seen shouting ‘Governor Go Back’.

The Governor’s security personnel meanwhile held back Mr Revanth Reddy from reaching Mr Narasimhan.

Meanwhile, the TRS MLAs made confetti out of the copies of the Governor’s speech and scattered it in the air, joining the slogan shouting.

The TRS MLAs, led by Harish Rao, tried to charge towards the podium when they were stopped by the Marshals present.

The unsavoury events unfolded even as Assembly Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar and Legislative Council Chairman A Chakrapani pleaded with folded hands to the MLAs to calm down.

As if in reaction to their appeal, TDP MLAs from Telangana joined their TRS counterparts and their shawls added to the confetti flying in the air.

Seeing the situation getting out of hand, the marshals formed a protective ring around the podium while the Governor went ahead with his speech.

The Session was adjourned immediately for the day following Mr Narasimhan’s speech.