The debate on the draft State reorganisation Bill 2013 in Andhra Pradesh legislative Assembly picked up the pace on Thursday after 15 members of the YSR Congress were suspended and physically removed from the House.
The Speaker took the action when the YSRCP members, once again, tried to stall the debate on the draft State reorganization Bill. As a protest against the suspension of the MlAs, the party floor leader YS Vijayalakshmi walked out of the House. When the suspended MlAs refused to leave the House voluntarily, Marshals physically removed them. In the melee, some members received bruises.
When the suspended MlAs continued their protest outside the House and tried to stage a sit-in protest at the Gate No 1 of the Assembly building, the members were arrested by the police and shifted to Goshamahal Police Station.
legislative Affairs Minister S Shailajanath moved the motion suspending the YSRCP members after their noisy disruption forced the Speaker N Manohar to adjourn the House twice. When the House met again and the YSRCP members rushed to the podium, the Speaker asked the legislative Affairs Minister to move the motion to suspend them.
Since morning the YSRCP members were arguing with the Speaker demanding that their party leader should be allowed to speak and present party’s stand in favour of a resolution on keeping the State united. After initially refusing to give her the mike, Speaker relented.
YS Vijayalakshmi demanded that the Speaker should put the draft Bill for voting before proceeding with the debate.
“If the House debates the bill, it will tantamount to accepting the division of the State”, she said. Strongly advocating the cause of united Andhra Pradesh, Vijayalakshmi termed the tabling of the draft Bill in the House as unfortunate. She warned against Centre misusing the article three of the constitution.
When the Speaker rejected her demand for voting on the draft bill, the YSRCP members again created a din in the House forcing the Speaker to take action against them.
Meanwhile, the debate, which started on Wednesday was marked by acrimonious exchange. Telugu Desam member P Raghunath Reddy held Congress president Sonia Gandhi responsible for the division of the State. He lashed out at her saying she was out to divide the State to make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister of the country.
This evoked a strong protest from the Congress members who demanded that the member should withdraw the remarks. The furore forced the Speaker to adjourn the House once again for half an hour. Minister Vatti Vasantha Kumar, who initiated the debate on Wednesday continued to criticise the draft Bill as unconstitutional and undemocratic.