The YSR Congress has described the ruling TDP’s decision not to allow MLA R.K. Roja into the Assembly even after the High Court issued an order in her favour as “black day” in parliamentary democracy.
The party has decided to move contempt of court petition on Monday challenging the ruling party’s decision not to honour the interim orders given by the court.
Friday’s episode, according to Leader of the Opposition Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, exposed the “arrogance of the TDP leadership,” which was trying to gain one-upmanship with alleged connivance of Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao.
“The Speaker has been conducting himself like an out-and-out TDP man. The House has displayed its arrogance by rejecting to honour the order given by the judiciary,” he said, adding that this would be challenged in the court of law.
Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and the Speaker were trying to show that they were above courts, and this smacked of their arrogance.
He alleged that the TDP had been misleading the House while the Speaker, acting at the behest of the Chief Minister, invoked Rule 304 (2) to suspend Ms. Roja from the House for a year at a time when the rule permitted suspension of the member for the remainder of the session in question.
“In spite of the order given by the High Court, the TDP and the Speaker did not allow Ms. Roja to enter the Assembly premises,” he said.
Recalling the developments in the morning, he said the Chief Marshal’s behaviour was unruly and questions were being raised on his conduct.
Though a copy of the court order was submitted to the Assembly Secretariat, Ms. Roja was stopped on the orders of the Speaker.
The ruling party’s attitude could be gauged from the fact that it had taken up the no confidence motion in a hurried manner, not allowing the Opposition to issue whip to its MLAs who defected from the party.
“The denial of the opportunity to issue a whip was aimed at safeguarding the defectors,” he said.
The Chief Marshal’s behaviour was unruly and questions are being raised on his conduct
Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy
YSRC president
