BRS voice stifled and members threatened in Budget Session: Vemula Prashant Reddy 

Ruling party undermined dignity and decorum during budget session. BRS voice stifled and members threatened and offended

Hyderabad: Launching a blistering attack on the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and some of his cabinet colleagues and legislators from the ruling Congress for the undemocratic and undignified manner in which the opposition was treated in the assembly, BRS MLA and former Minister Vemula Prashant Reddy said on Saturday that the budget session was blatantly used to stifle the voice the BRS and threaten and offend the opposition members. Addressing a news conference at BRSLP along with, BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy and Kova Lakshmi, he said the session was replete with unbecoming moments and mentions that were highly contentious in nature. The ruling party had undermined the dignity and decorum of the house as never before while the session had acquired the dubious distinction of being the most undemocratic one.

The budget session had amply proved that Revanth Reddy’ government had ceased to reflect the aspirations of the people. The unruly behaviour demonstrated by certain members and the threats held out at the opposition members were indicative of the intention of the ruling party which believed strongly in bulldozing its way. Quoting MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, he said that in his 25-year life as an MLA, he had never seen such a brazen violation of the norms of a house in session.

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Revanth Reddy had acted like the king of the wilderness with the sole agenda of undoing what BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao had done for the State. The Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had even lied on the floor of the house stating that an agreement was signed with the Centre during the BRS regime for installing smart meters. He was deliberately silent on the fact that the agriculture services were excluded from the installation of smart meters under the Uday scheme launched by the Centre.

The Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikaramarka also made a similar mention on the house that 1.5 lakh acres of ayacut would be given water under the Sitaram project spending only Rs 75 crore. If Bhatti can perform such wonders, he would deserve to be recommended for the post of Jal Shakti Minister at the Centre so that the whole country would be benefited by such wonders.

The BRS MLAs were not only denied the opportunity to speak but lifted away physically from the house by engaging marshals twice during the session thus denying them of the right to speak on the issues of the public. The Chief Minister had resorted to veiled threat for disqualifying the BRS members if needed to silence them.

The session did not discuss key issues such as the promise for paying Rs 4000 as asara pension and assistance of Rs 2500 for women under the Mahalakshmi scheme. The jobless youth throughout the State waited with bated breath for the job calendar promised by the Congress government. As the job calendar was released finally without the signature of at the least the minister concerned, they were all in for a rude shock. The Chief Minister had claimed to have given 30,000 jobs by just handing over the offer letters for the posts which were notified by the previous BRS regime.

The women members of the BRS were offended in the house by both the Chief Minister as well as the Deputy Chief Minister making remarks that were least justified. The Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender had openly threatened the BRS members on the floor of the house but neither the chief Minister nor any other ruling party members objected to his outbursts. He appealed to the speaker to ensure that such occurrence would not repeat in the next session.