Two Cong MLAs expelled from House for "unruly" behaviour

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Press Trust of India Hyderabad
Last Updated : Mar 13 2018 | 8:40 PM IST
Two Congress MLAs were today expelled from the Telangana Legislative Assembly and 11 more, including the opposition leader, suspended for the ongoing budget session, a day after the "unruly" incidents during the Governor's address to the joint sitting of legislature.
In the Legislative Council, six members of the Congress were suspended till the end of the session.
Alleging that the disciplinary action was unilateral, the two expelled members -- Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and S A Sampath Kumar -- began a 48-hour 'Satyagraha' this evening at the party's state headquarters.
Congress activists held protests at different places in the state against the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government.
As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker S Madhusudanachary expressed deep anguish over yesterday's incidents, in which Legislative Council Chairman K Swamy Goud suffered an eye injury when an object was thrown at him after the conclusion of the Governor's address.
Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao moved separate resolutions for disciplinary action against the members of the main opposition party.
According to one of the resolutions, the "unruly" behaviour of Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and Sampath Kumar amounted to affecting the dignity and decorum of the House.
".....their continuance as member of the Assembly is untenable," it read.
The suspended MLA are -- K Jana Reddy (Opposition Leader), Jeevan Reddy, Geeta Reddy, N Uttam Kumar Reddy (state Congress chief), D K Aruna, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Chinna Reddy, N Padmavati, Rammohan Reddy, Vamsichand Reddy and Madhava Reddy.
The speaker urged the expelled and suspended members to leave the House. Some of them left only after being approached by the marshals.
Condemning the behaviour of the Congress members, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the government would not compromise on maintaining the dignity and decorum of the House.
Why should there be any disturbance when the government had said it was ready for a debate on any issue, he asked.
MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said it was a "black day" for the House, adding that its dignity and decorum should be maintained.
BJP leader G Kishan Reddy said yesterday's incidents were unfortunate, but opposed Jana Reddy's suspension.
Talking to reporters, Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the disciplinary action was taken without following due procedures.
All the relevant footage should be made public, he said.
"This is a drama. This a drama at the instance of KCR," he claimed.
Goud had yesterday told reporters that a headphone, which was thrown at the podium, hit him in the eye. He was treated at a hospital with a bandage being put over one of his eyes.
A doctor attending to him said he is recovering and that the cornea needs to heal.
The Legislative Affairs Minister said the speaker was urged to hand out a tough punishment to the MLAs by going through the video footage and other details of the incident.
The ruling TRS has alleged that the Congress members indulged in "physical attacks" by throwing objects.
The session, which began yesterday, is scheduled to conclude onMarch 27.
The Congress' strength is 19 in the 119-member House.
Assembly polls are due in Telangana next year.

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First Published: Mar 13 2018 | 8:40 PM IST

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