Oppn attitude in Assembly undemocratic: Srinivas

Hyderabad, Sep 16 (UNI) APCC President D Srinivas today alleged that opposition parties, including the TDP, were politicising the highest office of the Speaker and termed ''undemocratic'' their attitude during the discussion on no-confidence motion against Speaker K R Suresh Reddy in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly yesterday.

Addressing a press conference here, he said it was unfortunate that the opposition TDP and the TRS moved a no-confidence motion against the Speaker, who was conducting the House in a democratic manner and within rules.

He said Mr Reddy was well educated to understand the rules and also legal matters.

Though the Speaker was giving equal chance to all parties, the opposition parties, particularly the TDP, were creating hurdles in the normal functioning of the House, the Congress leader claimed.

Comparing Mr Reddy with the Speaker during the TDP regime from 1999 to 2004, Mr Srinivas said there was a lot of difference between the present Speaker and his predecessor. ''The House was conducted in a one-sided manner (then). Though the Congress had decided to move a no-confidence motion against the then Speaker, the party dropped the idea as it was undemocratic and would create a bad name for the party.'' Even the ruling Congress had faced some problem in the House due to Mr Reddy's rulings. ''We must understand the position of the Chair and should cooperate with the Speaker,'' he said.

The Presiding Officers of Parliament and the Assemblies perform their duties as per the rules in a democratic way.

Citing the example of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who kept up the democratic values, Mr Srinivas said the Congress had highest respect for his talent in conducting the House.

He alleged that the TDP had totally failed to keep up the democratic values in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly as the party did not like the House to function in a smooth manner.

UNI BR VA SKB UCS1558