Politics in Andhra Pradesh touched a new low on Thursday as for the first time in the history of the state Legislative Assembly, the constitutional head of the state, the governor, Mr E.S.L. Narasimhan, was physically attacked by pro-Telangana leaders in the House. The incident later precipitated into a conflict with two leaders, Lok Satta Kukatpally MLA Jayaprakash Narayan and Congress MLC Paladugu Venkat Rao, being beaten by TRS men in full view of TV cameras and the media.
In the second incident, Lok Satta Kukatpally MLA Jayaprakash Narayan and Congress MLC Paladugu Venkat Rao were attacked and beaten by TRS MLAs and their supporters when they condemned the unruly behaviour of TRS and TDP MLAs during the governor’s speech.
These were not the only incidents that contributed to Thursday going down as a “black day” in the state’s history. Three reporters, including a woman, from the electronic media were pushed and punched by the police at the main office of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. They were stationed there as Thursday was also the first day of the non-cooperation protest by employees from Telangana. The woman reporter who was injured lost consciousness after she was kicked in her stomach by a police official.
In the Assembly, TRS legislators and a few TDP leaders from Telangana crossed all boundaries of decency in their bid to prevent the governor from delivering his address to the joint session of the Legislative Council and Assembly on the first day of the Budget Session.
The members flung papers and booklets at the governor, pulled the lectern and copies of his speech, threw their cloth kanduvas and banners at him and even pulled down his chair along with those of council chairman A. Chakrapani and deputy speaker N. Manohar. TRS leader T. Harish Rao went as far as climbing on to the members’ desk and jumping at the governor. If he had not been apprehended by the marshals, he would have collided with Mr Narasimhan. Members cutting across party lines were shell-shocked over the violent turn of events and stood mute witnesses to the mayhem.
The attack on Mr Jayaprakash Narayan and Mr Paladugu Venkat Rao took place when they condemned the unruly behaviour of TRS and TD MLAs.
Mr Narayan said that Thursday was a “black day” and demanded that Assembly should be suspended and President’s Rule imposed in the state since the government had failed to run the administration.
As Mr Narayan and Mr Paladugu Venkat Rao were coming away from the dais, TRS MLAs and others rushed towards them.
***
CM sorry, ‘ashamed’
AGE CORRESPONDENT
Hyderabad
Feb. 17: Chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, deputy speaker N. Manohar and Legislative Council chairman A. Chakrapani called on the governor on Thursday evening and conveyed their apologies for the unruly scenes in the house. Mr Reddy told the media that he felt ashamed of what had happened in the house during the governor’s address. “Not only I, the entire House will apologise to the governor tomorrow,” he said.