BRS announces boycott of Telangana Assembly session over Speaker's 'biased' conduct

Hyderabad, Jan 2 Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Friday announced boycott of the ongoing winter session of Telangana Legislative Assembly in protest against what it calls the Speaker's biased conduct and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's undemocratic and rude behavior.

BRS MLAs staged a walk-out after Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar denied the party an opportunity to speak after Chief Minister Revanth Reddy intervened during question hour to speak about the project for rejuvenation of Musi River.

After coming out of the House, the MLAs staged a protest at Gun Park near the Assembly building.

BRS Deputy Leader in Assembly T. Harish Rao told media persons that the party would boycott the rest of the session.

He alleged that the way the Legislative Assembly is being conducted is completely contrary to democratic values. He said they made to wait for an hour and a half at the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) and were thus insulted.

He claimed that the BAC meeting had decided that the Assembly session would continue for seven days, and then they would meet again to decide the subsequent schedule.

Harish Rao said the minutes presented in the Assembly contained false information as it was stated that the duration of the session was left to the Speaker's discretion.

He remarked that the Speaker was not conducting the Assembly proceedings as a custodian of the House but was acting unilaterally.

“As the opposition, it is our responsibility to question the government on public issues in the Assembly. Our microphones were switched off when we tried to question the government during question hour,” he said.

Harish Rao asked if Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was not criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament. “Why are they switching off our microphones when we question the Chief Minister here,” he asked.

He wondered how the Speaker can dictate the Opposition not to criticise the Chief Minister. “If the opposition is not allowed to speak, then why have the Assembly at all? Why were we invited?” he asked.

The BRS leader remarked that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's words have become more foul-smelling than the stench of the Musi River. He said before cleaning up the Musi, there is a need to cleanse the Chief Minister's mouth.

He alleged that the Chief Minister is engaging in body shaming in the Assembly.

“He is behaving like a street thug, not like a Chief Minister. Instead of answering the questions asked in the Assembly, he is rambling on with nonsense, just like he does outside,” said Harish Rao.

The BRS leader said the Chief Minister spoke outrageously about K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), the leader of the movement that achieved the state of Telangana and who served as Chief Minister for 10 years.

Harish Rao was reacting to Chief Minister’s remark that it would not be wrong even if KCR is hanged for the injustice caused to the State in utilisation of river waters

“We strongly condemn the language used by the Chief Minister against KCR. Revanth Reddy, you are the real traitor to Telangana, the traitor to Telangana's water resources,” he said.

“We are ready for a discussion on the Musi River. Schedule a short discussion; we will discuss it all day. But how can the Chief Minister come during question hour and speak nonsensically for an hour and a half?” he asked.

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