Veera Bhadram operates Internet in Assembly

Hyderabad, Dec 21: CPI(M) member Thammineni Veera Bhadram yesterday became the first Indian Legislator to have operated net from inside the Assembly, when he received and sent messages to an NRI settled in London.

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker K R Suresh Reddy announced on Tuesday that the Legislators were now being permitted to bring the laptops provided to them and receive any additional information they might require for raising issues of public importance from outside sources through e-chat without moving out of the House. He also suggested they could even use the facility while the House was in session.

Mobile phones were however not permitted inside the House as they disturb the business of other members.

Soon after the Speaker gave the permission, Mr Bhadram yesterday brought his lap-top to the Assembly and became the first Legislator to have operated Internet from inside the House.

Speaking to newsmen later, Mr Bhadram said that as soon as he opened his mail, he was surprised to find a message from an Indian settled in London congratulating him and other opposition members for their stand on the alleged 'land scam' of the Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. He said he had also sent message thanking the NRI.

He said even the NRIs who were keenly watching the political situation were appreciating the stand taken by the opposition parties. He said bowing down to the public opinion the Chief Minister should quit the office and permit a fair enquiry on the allegation that his family had grabbed thousands of land assigned to the poor.

UNI