Andhra Pradesh   

‘Shun vote bank politics’

HYDERABAD: The State Assembly witnessed spirited speeches by members on the opening day of its winter session on Monday against politicians playing with the lives of people by using religion as a means to get votes.

Several members wore black badges.

Cutting across party lines, they highlighted the anger that people developed against the politicians after Mumbai attacks, and felt it was high time for politicians to mend their ways. Speaking on a condolence motion moved by Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on the deaths in Mumbai terror attacks, Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu said police should not be used for politics and Shivraj Patil should have resigned much earlier.

The Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 3 lakh each to the families of three persons from the State who were killed in the Mumbai terror attacks -- Vijaykumar Bhanji, chef in Taj Hotel, Lakshminarayan Goel, a chartered accountant, who belong to Hyderabad, and Shaikh Amina Begum of Nizamabad.

Senior member Ch. Rajeswara Rao (TDP) asked politicians to stop inciting people on the basis of religion while T. Harish Rao (TRS) came out with a prescription that there should not be any vote bank politics.

Akbaruddin Owaisi (MIM) said Muslims too loved India and pleaded that terror attacks must not be linked to them or to Islam. He opposed POTA whereas G. Kishen Reddy (BJP) wanted its re-introduction to tackle terrorism.

In the Council, members paid homage to the martyrs of Mumbai terror attacks. Finance Minister K. Rosaiah said people of the nation had shown utmost restraint during the crisis and praised the security forces for their courage and sacrifice. Political parties would come and go but what mattered was national integrity.

Mohd. Jani (Congress) said terrorist attacks were aimed at disrupting economy and disintegrating the nation and said terrorism should not be related to Islam. Paladugu Venkatrao (Congress) said political leaders had come under sharp criticism from public and their credibility was at stake after Mumbai terror strikes.

Public expect better values, integrity and decisive action from political leaders. Leader of Opposition D. Veerabhadra Rao and others spoke.

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