BRS accuses Congress of turning Assembly into political theatre

BRS leaders Talasani Srinivas Yadav and G Jagadish Reddy accused the Congress government of avoiding debate on key Telangana issues and using diversion tactics. They questioned BRS MLAs’ suspension and criticised the handling of protests outside K Chandrashekhar Rao’s Erravelli residence

Hyderabad: BRS Legislature Party (BRSLP) deputy leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav criticised the Congress government for turning the Assembly into political theatre to evade discussion of pressing issues facing Telangana.

Speaking to mediapersons in the Assembly lobbies on Wednesday, Srinivas Yadav said the Congress government staged dramas outside the Assembly on the first day and near BRS chief and Opposition leader K Chandrashekhar Rao’s Erravelli residence on the second day, followed by the suspension of BRS MLAs for the remainder of the session. He questioned why an MLA who allegedly wished for Chandrashekhar Rao’s death was not suspended, while BRS members, including those not present in the House, were suspended.

He alleged that the government was afraid of discussions on issues such as 22-A lands and GO 97 on polytechnic education. He said the BRS respected Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar as a kind person and, hence, did not even field a candidate against him. He ridiculed the double standards of preventing BRS MLAs from wearing black T-shirts while allowing the treasury benches, including Ministers, to display photographs and placards.

Former Minister G Jagadish Reddy said the government had no intention of allowing debate on the floor of the House and was hence indulging in diversionary tactics. He said the ruling Congress was unnecessarily projecting the alleged cleansing of the road outside Chandrashekhar Rao’s Erravelli residence as a Dalit issue and blaming the BRS despite the absence of any BRS legislator or leader.

He alleged that Congress leaders from different communities participated in the protest at Chandrashekhar Rao’s residence and said the Congress was creating controversy by selectively projecting it as a protest by Dalits.