Andhra Pradesh Assembly |
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh legislature plunged into unprecedented chaos today, with Telangana legislators heckling Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan as he was addressing a joint session on the first day of the budget session.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) members tried to snatch papers from the governor's hands and uproot mikes, forcing him to cut short his customary speech.
Legislators of the TRS, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) continually raised slogans of "Governor go back". Some legislators, mainly from the TRS, tore copies of his speech and threw the pieces at him.
TRS legislators alleged that the governor was anti-Telangana and hence had no right to address the legislature on the land of Telangana.
TRS Legislators |
As soon as the governor began his speech, the Telangana legislators were on their feet protesting lack of mention of the Telangana movement in his address and demanding a resolution in the assembly for formation of Telangana state.
The TRS legislators advanced towards the podium, tore copies of his speech and threw papers at him.
As Narasimhan continued his speech, TRS legislator K. Sammaiah went closer to him, tried to uproot the mike and snatch the papers as the governor's personal security officer came to his rescue. The assembly staff snapped the live telecast of the governor's address.
Marshals, who were called in by Deputy Speaker Nandendla Manohar, bodily lifted out TRS, TDP and BJP legislators who had trooped into the well of the house. The chairs of the governor, the deputy speaker and the council chairman were turned upside down in the scuffle between legislators and marshals.
The governor resumed his speech but other Telangana legislators continued slogan shouting. Amid pandemonium, he cut short his speech and the house was adjourned for the day.
Harish Rao |
"At a time when people in Telangana have launched non-cooperation movement, the governor made no mention of Telangana and hence we tore his speech copies and threw it on his face," TRS legislator Harish Rao told reporters, justifying their action.