Telangana clamour stalls Andhra Pradesh assembly

The Andhra Pradesh assembly was adjourned without any business being transacted for the second day Wednesday with Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) legislators demanding a resolution on a separate state of Telangana as their chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao’s fast-unto-death entered the 11th day.

Speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy adjourned the house thrice, the third time for the day, as the TRS legislators stuck to their demand that the house pass a resolution or immediately take up discussion on the issue.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) backed the TRS demand. The Congress government, however, said the debate would be taken up on Friday.

The house was stalled as 10 legislators of TRS continued raising slogans of “Jai Telangana” and sat near the speaker’s podium.

Earlier, Chief Minister K. Rosaiah said the issue was under the consideration of the central government. “It is a sensitive issue. The government has to act responsibly. We can’t table a resolution like that,” he told the legislators.

The chief minister and the speaker, on behalf of the house, also appealed to the TRS president, known as KCR, to end the fast.

“KCR’s health is important for the state. We appeal to him to call off the fast,” the speaker said.

President of the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) N. Chandrababu Naidu also appealed to KCR to end the fast. The leader of opposition said his party would support the resolution on separate Telangana.

After the house was adjourned for the day, TRS legislators staged a sit-in in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the assembly premises. They were supported by the BJP, the CPI and the Praja Rajyam Party.

TRS legislator Harish Rao said parliament was debating the Telangana issue but it was unfortunate that the debate was not being allowed in the state assembly.

He warned the government against suppressing the Telangana agitation saying this would have serious consequences. “How long will you suppress the sentiments of people,” he asked while referring to the arrests of students ahead of Thursday’s ‘chalo assembly’ programme.

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