Tempers rise as T-Bill tabled in AP Assembly

Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, which seeks to create a new state of Telangana with 10 districts of the region including Hyderabad, was tabled in the state Legislative Assembly today

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, which seeks to create a new State of Telangana with 10 districts of the region including Hyderabad, was tabled in the state Legislative Assembly by Speaker Nadendla Manohar on Monday amidst chaos and pandemonium.

The draft Bill was referred to the state Legislature by President of India, the copies of which were sent to the state capital  in a special flight on December 11.

The Speaker asked the Assembly secretary to read out the covering letter signed by the President soon after reconvening the House at 10 am even as chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy stayed away from the Assembly on reasons of ill health.

The Assembly witnessed chaotic scenes all through the day with members from the opposition parties leading the charge while the ministers and members of the ruling party from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema offered no resistance. The members of Telangana clashed with the Telugu Desam Party and YSR Congress members when they tore and burnt the copies of the Bill in the Assembly premises.

There was a heightened activity of consultations among the Telangana ministers and members of the ruling Congress party led by senior minister K Jana Reddy and deputy chief minister Damodara Rajanarashimha during the proceedings as the Speaker proceeded to table the draft Bill.

In contract, the chief minister’s camp, which had been arguing for more time to discuss the Bill, remained on the sidelines in the light of Kiran Reddy’s surprise absence.

After tabling of the Bill, the Telangana ministers openly appealed to the Speaker as well as the Seemandhra members to allow discussion in the ongoing session itself even if it means extending it for a few more days as opposed to a special session as had been mooted by the chief minister’s camp.

Meanwhile, the Speaker had to adjourn the House for the day without giving any indication on when the discussion will be taken up. Interestingly, when the House was reconvened after a long break following the tabling of the Bill, legislative affairs minister D Sridhar appealed to the Speaker to take up the discussion on the Bill but to no avail.

The speaker is expected to take a view tomorrow on the issue of initiating the discussion on the Bill, its timing and on whether another meeting of the business advisory committee (BAC) is required to decide the same.  

President Pranab Mukherjee, in his letter, said he was referring The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2013 to the state Legislature of Andhra Pradesh for expressing its views thereon by January 23, 2013. Those opposing the Bill have been citing the six-week time giving by the President to buy more time.