VIJAYAWADA: A pandemonium-like situation prevailed for sometime in the AP Legislative Assembly on Monday, the first day of winter session, with the women MLAs, including Deputy Chief Minister (Tribal Welfare) Pamula Pushpasreevani and Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharitha, of the YSRC rushing to the Well and raising slogans against the TDP for obstructing a discussion on the security of women in the State.
The ruling party MLAs and ministers also stood on their seats in support of their women colleagues and protested against the disruption in the proceedings. This all happened when the TDP insisted for a discussion on the spiralling prices of onions.
The TDP members moved an adjournment motion, seeking a discussion on the skyrocketing prices of onions, when the House was convened after the Business Advisory Committee’s (BAC’s) meeting. However, Speaker Tammineni Sitaram disallowed the adjournment motion and asked the Home Minister to go ahead with her statement on women’s security.
Despite the TDP MLAs rushing to the podium and blaming the State government for the death of a person who was standing in a queue at Gudivada rythu bazaar to get subsidised onions, the Speaker allowed the discussion on women’s security.
Intervening the discussion, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy asserted that Andhra Pradesh was the only State in the country that supplied onions at Rs 25 per kg through rythu bazaars, and faulted the Opposition TDP for trying to stall the discussion on a major issue. Despite the CM assuring the House that a discussion on onions would be taken up later, as the spiralling prices was also a serious subject, the TDP members continued to remain in the Well.
“We are purchasing onions from far-away places such as Solapur and Alwar, and selling them at subsidised price to the people. Nowhere in the country onions are being sold at subsidised price. The State has bought over 36,500 quintals of onions so far. During the previous regime of the TDP under the leadership of N Chandrababu Naidu, farmers abandoned onions in the field as they were unable to get MSP for their produce,’’ Jagan said.
Legislative Affairs Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy also took exception to the stand of the TDP and alleged that the Opposition party insulted the Chair, by sending onions to the Speaker in a gift wrapper, which showed their irresponsibility. He further sought to know, “Why is Heritage, which belongs to the Naidu’s family, is selling onions at Rs 200 per kg if the TDP is really concerned about the issue?”
Countering Buggana’s claims, Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu said Heritage Fresh no longer belonged to his family and that it was acquired by another group.Though the TDP members returned to their seats for some time, they, again, rushed to the podium with the Speaker continuing the discussion.
Amid sloganeering by TDP MLAs, YSRC MLA Vidadala Rajani initiated the discussion on ‘security of women’ and accused the TDP of lacking sincerity on the subject as it was obstructing the discussion on it.Irked with the attitude of TDP MLAs, Deputy Chief Minister Pushpasreevani and other women ministers came into the Well and countered the Opposition’s slogans. After remaining in the Well for some time, the women legislators occupied their seats and the debate continued.
The Chief Minister sought suggestion of the Leader of the Opposition on drafting a Bill to ensure more safety to women and send a strong message to the culprits. Naidu, who welcomed the discussion, however, asked the government to debate on the spiralling prices of onion.
Before the commencement of the session, TDP leaders, including Naidu, staged a protest against the spiralling prices of onions.
TDP members reach House with onion garlands
Before the commencement of the session, TDP leaders, including Naidu, staged a protest against the spiralling prices of onions. MLAs went to the House with onion garlands on their necks. Mild tension prevailed at the main gate of the Assembly with Marshals obstructing the TDP leaders from entering the House with onion garlands and placards. The Opposition leaders took exception to the same and picked up an argument with the Marshals