Lok Sabha live telecast disrupted during Telangana debate

Live telecast of the Lok Sabha proceedings was Tuesday disrupted soon after the house started discussing the bill to create a separate Telangana state. An official said the disruption was due to a "technical problem".

The disruption of live telecast, however, raised many eyebrows as there was intense curiosity about the proceedings on the bill that was being firmly opposed by a number of MPs from the Seemandhra region.

The live telecast on Lok Sabha TV channel abruptly went off the screen minutes after the house met at 3 p.m. to discuss the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2014.

A few minutes later, the channel briefly put out a message that live telecast would resume shortly but that did not happen.

TV news channels later ran news of the proceedings on their tickers.

Lok Sabha Secretary General S. Bal Shekar said the proceedings of the afternoon session could not be telecast due to a "technical problem".

"There was a technical problem. They are attending to it," Shekar told IANS.

Shekar said he has asked for a report on the issue.

He agreed that it was a coincidence that disruption in live telecast occurred when the house took up the discussion on the crucial bill.

YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy alleged that the live telecast "was cut off".

Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi also voiced a similar protest.

"Why is the government embarrassed? People have a right to see. They have a right to know," he said.