Upset Speaker suspends TRS legislators again

Telangana Rashtra Samithi members were suspended from the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday for obstructing the proceedings.

As soon as the House met at 8.30 am, Speaker disallowed half-a-dozen adjournment motion notices given by different parties. TRS members, wearing black shirts and white pants, displayed placards and shouted slogans demanding that the House take up their adjournment motion for a debate and adoption of a resolution asking the Central government to take steps for formation of separate Telangana state.

Telugu Desam Party, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Majlis-e-Ittehaadul Muslimeen members also stood up demanding that their adjournment notices be admitted.

The Speaker asked the members to resume their seats. "You have to take a re-look at this whole thing. This House cannot go on like this. It can only run as per procedures. Kindly cooperate with the chair and participate in the proceedings. Today is the last day of the (monsoon) session. We have to get down to business. Let us finish today's agenda," he pleaded with the members.

As TRS members stormed into the well of the House, the Speaker pulled them up, saying: "You cannot do like this everyday.

It is not good. I suspended you when you obstructed proceedings only for one day each time, so that you can change your behaviour. You go back to your seats. You registered your token protest. Your suspensions also came on record. If you do like this, nothing can come up in the House."

The Speaker said that he had no objection to allow a discussion on Telangana issue, if the TRS gave a notice under a different rule. Other parties also supported the need for a discussion on the issue.

He was suspending the TRS members for a day only on the advice of the other parties. But by repeating their protests everyday, the TRS members had forfeited the support of other parties.

"I have come to your rescue so that you can participate in the House's proceedings. I don't like to suspend you everyday. But you are not leaving me with any options. You register your protest and walk out," he told the TRS members as they surrounded the podium.

Thereafter, the Speaker directed Legislative Affairs Minister K Rosaiah to name the TRS members and move the motion for their suspension for the day. The motion was carried and 18 TRS members were suspended. The Speaker asked the suspended members to leave the House. When they did not do so, marshals were called in to evict them.