Disruption of Andhra Assembly over Telangana issue

Hyderabad, Feb 18 (ANI): Proceedings of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly were disrupted by Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and MLAs of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's group on different issues forcing its adjournment twice this morning.

As soon as the House assembled for the day, the TRS and TDP MLAs stormed the Speaker's podium holding placards on Telangana and fee reimbursement issues.

When the House re-assembled half an hour after the adjournment, the TDP and TRS members continued their protest standing in the Well of the House.

Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar told the members that exhibits of any sort were not permitted in the House as per rules. t that point, 12 Congress MLAs and two PRP MLAs-owing allegiance to Jagan-rose to their feet carrying posters with the picture of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

They demanded that the government keep its promise and immediately release funds for reimbursement of tuition fee for students pursuing professional courses.

As the din continued with the protesting members unrelenting, Nadendla Manohar adjourned the proceedings for the second time.

On Thursday, the TRS MLAs created ruckus in the Assembly as they allegedly manhandled an MLA of the Loksatta party, Jayaprakash Narayan, for not supporting statehood for Telangana.

TRS and TDP MLAs also disrupted Governor ESL Narasimhan's speech on the opening day of the Budget Session. They tried to tear his speech copy and climbed on the podium.

Several protests and shutdowns had brought Andhra Pradesh to a near halt last year as pro-Telangana activists pressed their demand for the separate state.

A concerned Central Government appointed a judicial commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Srikrishna in March last year to look into issue of the separate statehood after series of huge demonstrations and suicides.

The report, submitted to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in December last year has suggested at least six options including maintaining status quo or bifurcating Andhra. (ANI)