Naidu withdraws remark against Speaker

Hyderabad, Mar 12 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu today withdrew his remarks against Speaker K R Suresh Reddy after ruling Congress took strong exception to what it called ''casting aspersions'' against the Chair, and threatened to move a motion against the TDP leader.

Irked by the Speaker trying to cut short his lengthy speech, Mr Naidu asked the former to give in writing what he had to speak while registering his party's protest and said he would simply repeat it.

Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Legislative Affairs Minister K Rosaiah and Floor leaders of AIMIM (Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi), CPI (Ch Venkata Reddy) and CPI-M (Mr N Narasimiah) supported the Speaker who took strong objections to Mr Naidu's behaviour in the House.

Explaining the circumstances under which he was forced to speak so, Mr Naidu said he had high regard for the office of the Speaker.

With no formal apology coming from the former Chief Minister, Government Chief Whip N Kirankumar sought permission from the Speaker to move a motion against Mr Naidu.

However, the Speaker offered yet another chance to Mr Naidu, who finally withdrew his remark.

Terming as ''unfortunate'' the belated withdrawal of remarks, Dr Reddy said the Leader of the Opposition stood on ''false prestige'' and wasted the precious time of the House. ''Our prestige will only go up when we express regret for what we have said in a spur of the moment'', he noted.

Finding fault with the Opposition's attitude, Dr Reddy said it was not fair on the part of the Opposition to make baseless allegations and expect the Government not to defend itself.

UNI