Legislators call each other Kauravas

HYDERABAD: References to Kurukshetra war of the Mahabharata, name-calling and personal attacks dominated the debate on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 in the state Assembly during its second sitting when the House reassembled at 3 p.m on Thursday after a short break.

At one point of time, TDP MLA E Dayakar Rao hurled fiery words at the treasury benches by asking them, 'Aren't you ashamed of yourselves for dragging the T-issue for 10-long years and forcing hundreds of Telangana youngsters to lay down their lives,' which led to a fracas between the TDP members from Telangana and TRS MLAs leaving the Seemandhra legislators of all parties to watch the ruckus.

Soon after the resumption of the House at around 3.10 p.m., TDP member Palle Raghunatha Reddy, whose remarks against the AICC supremo Sonia Gandhi had triggered strong protests from the treasury benches and led to noisy arguments between the TDP members and Congress legislators, concluded his speech by likening the contents of the T-Bill with disregard to concerns of Seemandhra to that of injustice meted out to Pandavas in Mahabharata.

'The concerns of people of Semandhra are being ignored while bifurcating the state. Now the situation of Seemandhra people is similar to that of the Pandavas in Mahabharata. Hence, all the lawmakers from Seemandhra cutting across political lines should unite themselves and oppose the T-Bill,' he appealed.

Later, state government Chief Whip Gandra Venkataramana Reddy was given opportunity to express his views on behalf of the ruling party.

Recalling the remark of Raghunatha Reddy, who had earlier drawn a parallel between the ongoing rift between the politicos of Seemandhra and Telangana, and Mahabharata War, Venkataramana Reddy said, indeed the present situation on the T-issue was like Mahabharata war only. But, Raghunatha Reddy had wrongly interpreted it the other way, he added.

'Just because they had numerical strength, Kauravas had done injustice to Pandavas in Mahabharata. Like that here also in the name of democracy, Seemandhra legislators, who constitute a majority in the House, are trying to suppress the rights of Telangana people. That is why people of Telangana have fought for their rights,' Venkataramana Reddy said.

In his bid to paint the then regime of the TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu as anti-Telangana, he alleged that Naidu during his nine-year rule, had literally banned uttering of the very word 'Telangana' in the Assembly. He went further saying that during his regime Naidu had neglected the development of T-region.

Objecting to this, TDP member E Dayakar Rao came down heavily on the ruling party, alleging that Congress and TRS had conspired with each other in deceiving the people of Telangana for 'votes and seats'.

'Both of your parties had forged an unholy alliance in 2004 polls against the TDP. By promising statehood to Telangana, you had come to power in those polls. But, you have not kept your promise for 10-long years. Aren't you ashamed of yourselves now?' he lambasted.

Taking strong exception to the remark of Dayakar Rao, TRS legislator T Harish Rao flayed the 'equal justice' stance being adopted by the TDP boss Naidu.

'Naidu is known for his doublespeak. Isn't it true that the then Speaker Yanamala Ramakrishnudu had literally banned the very word Telangana in the Assembly during Naidu's regime? Isn't it a fact that the TDP boss has recently claimed that he had stopped formation of T-state during the NDA regime? Naidu is master of politics of backstabbing,' Harish remarked.

The war of words between the members of the TDP and TRS as well as TDP and Congress led to noisy scenes in the House. In the melee, the TDP members stormed the podium demanding apology from Harish Rao whereas TRS legislators sought withdrawal of comments made by Dayakar Rao against the TRS leadership, which forced the deputy speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who was in the Chair, to adjourn the House for the day at about 4.20 pm.

Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and the leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu, who were in the House during the entire episode confined themselves to their seats by attentively watching the commotion.