TDP stalls Assembly proceedings for the fifth day

The 'tainted' ministers' issue continued to rock the State Legislative Assembly with the opposition parties paralysing the proceedings for the fifth consecutive day on Friday.

As soon as the House met, the TDP members started raising slogans demanding dismissal of six 'tainted' ministers who have received notices from the Supreme Court in connection with the illegal assets case of Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. They also demanded that the controversial 26 GOs be placed before the House.

Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu said that the controversince GOs could not be placed as the CBI enquiry has been going on into the case and it was also pending in the Supreme Court. However, TDP deputy floor leader P Ashok Gajapathi Raju argued that when 2G scam, which was being probed by the CBI and the case was also going on in the Supreme Court, could be discussed in the Parliament, then why the GOs could not be discussed. Further, he said when liquor scam could be discussed in the House, then the government should not have any reservations in placing the controversial GOs before the House.

Ashok Gajapathi Raju accused the Legislative Affairs of misleading the House. He said the government would discuss the issue only if believes in transparency. G Mallesh of CPI and Lakshmi Narayana of BJP also demanded that the GOs be placed before the House.

However, CPM's J Ranga Reddy's remarks that the issue could be debated only if Speaker Nadendla Manohar wants it raised furore in the House with members of treasury benches demanding him to take back his words. Dr Jaya Prakash Narayana of Lok Satta also advocated debate on the controversial GOs in the House and said that the ministers should have a sense of accountability.

While Tourism Minister Vatti Vasanth Kumar accused the TDP of wasting the time of the House, Roads and Buildings Minister B Dharmana Prasad defended the ministers and said they had only received notices from the Supreme Court and were not made accused in the case. He asked the TDP members to submit evidence, instead of leveling allegations against the ministers.

However, Tdp Mla P Kesava alleged that the State Government was tampering with the evidence in the case and that was the reason why it was hesitant to place the GOs before the House.

With no signs of normalcy returning to the House, the Speaker adjourned the House at about 9.45 am for half-an-hour. When the House met against at 11.20 am, the TDP members continued with their slogan shouting.

Amidst the furore three government bills were introduced and in about four minutes, Deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka adjourned the House till Monday.