JLC demand on land allotments contines to stall House

Despite an ‘Agreement’ on the land allocations during the YSR regime, the opposition raked up the issue again on Saturday and demanded that the government order constitution of a Joint Legislature Committee inquiry which was promptly turned down by deputy speaker Nadendla Manohar Rao.

Mr Manohar said that he was turning down the opposition demand in the absence of a discussion on the subject since the government was insisting on this as a prequel to the JLC probe.

Sequel to the rejection of their demands, the enraged opposition Members forced adjournment of the state Assembly twice on JLC probe though both the sides agreed yesterday to have a discussion on the illegal land deals.

The House witnessed unruly scenes as the main opposition Telugu Desam Party pressed for forming a Joint Legislature Committee on the irregular land allocations and the MIM Legislators demanding also a JLC enquiry over the unlawful allotment of lands under the care of the Muslim Wakf Board.

The turmoil created by the opposition and the government ally on the Floor of the House effectively blocked any proceedings.

The Deputy Speaker made it clear that on the Wakf lands, the government would make an announcement on Monday.

However, the MIM Members remained firm on their claim.

Government Chief Whip Bhatti Vikramarka intervened and said action would be initiated against the guilty in the land deals in case proof was established.

Mr Vikramarka also proposed that government had no objection to appointing a JLC enquiry. Before that, the opposition should be able to establish proof first during a ‘discussion’ that there were illegal land allocations.

Mr Vikramarka’s scheme of things did not convince the opposition who again resorted to slogan shouting.

Earlier, as soon as the House met, rejecting the resolutions as desired by the opposition, the Deputy Speaker announced the Question Hour.

This immediately prompted the TDP Legislators to rush to the Speaker’s podium and raising slogans in favour of their demand for a JLC.

With this, the adjournments chapter commenced. The first time, the House was adjourned for half an hour.

After the Assembly sat again after the break, the opposition Members, determined to persuade the chair over their demands, continued their slogan shouting with the TDP and MIM on insisting on the JLC probe into the land allocations.

Congress Members loyal to former Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy shouted slogans against Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu.

Following the commotion on the Floor the House, Mr Manohar again announced the Assembly to be adjourned for a short break.

In the wake of a consensus reached on Friday on the controversial subject – land ‘deals’ made during YSR rule, there was a positive thinking that the listed proceedings will go on, on Saturday as stipulated.

But for reasons unknown, the Agreement did not work as anticipated.

Earlier the BJP favoured an adjournment resolution on weavers’ problems, the CPM on Anganwadi workers’ stir for wages and pensions and the CPI for a discussion on abandoned constructions of houses under Indira Kranthi Pathakam.