Debate on irrigation white paper put off amid BRS protests

The house witnessed heated exchanges as BRS members wanted the short discussion to be taken up without any change in the schedule.

Hyderabad: A short discussion on a white paper on the irrigation sector in the State scheduled for Friday was postponed to Saturday. It was the main issue on the agenda of the House for the day. After taking the opinion of all political parties, Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar announced that the short discussion would be taken up at 10 am on Saturday.

The house witnessed heated exchanges as BRS members wanted the short discussion to be taken up without any change in the schedule. The BJP also insisted on continuing the short discussion as scheduled by facilitating the debate till late in the evening if needed. The MIM and CPI, however left it to the discretion of the Chair.

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BRS member T Harish Rao insisted that the main opposition should be taken into confidence if any modification in the schedule was required. A decision in the business advisory committee was a must for any such changes.

The BRS members had come prepared for the discussion. “We are prepared to continue the debate,” he said.

The BRS would not mind even if it lasted five hours or continued till 11 pm. Sudden changes in the schedule would not be in conformity with the traditions of the House, Harish Rao said, also taking strong exception to certain remarks made by Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy referring to BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao’s comments at the Nalgonda public meeting.

Komatireddy’s observations were expunged by the Speaker as requested by Harish Rao. Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu suggested that the short discussion be taken up on Saturday.