The Andhra Pradesh Assembly was adjourned on Wednesday amidst noisy scenes caused by a spirited demand of the YSR Congress seeking a debate followed by voting in the House on the capital for the State.
The government said it would table the report of the Sivaramakrishnan Committee that went into the issue and then Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu would make a statement in the House on Thursday. The Opposition could participate in the subsequent debate. But, the Leader of Opposition Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy argued that the debate would be a futile exercise when the government had already set the “muhurat” to announce the capital. He quoted newspaper reports about Mr. Naidu having decided to make the announcement at an auspicious time on Thursday to coincide with ‘Dasami.’
The issue figured shortly after question hour as a sequel to Mr. Jagan giving a notice for a debate on the issue of the capital city in the wake of the Sivaramakrishnan Committee recommending various alternatives. However, Mr Naidu had already made up his mind about the capital city, Mr Jagan said, quoting newspaper reports.
‘Nehru set a precedent’Mr. Jagan recalled that the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, left the issue of capital to the State Assembly under similar circumstances through a letter on July 1, 1953. The Assembly promptly discussed, voted and then took the decision, he said.
Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao asked Mr. Jagan not to dictate agenda to the House as it was the prerogative of the government to bring matters to the notice of the members in whatever form it wanted. He said there were a number of occasions when the contents of the statement were altered after debate. No prejudice would be caused if a statement was issued in advance. He also said announcement followed by debate and vice versa were equally acceptable.
Labour Minister K. Atchan Naidu said the Cabinet had decided to take the House into confidence while announcing the capital though the Telugu Desam had electoral verdict to go ahead with its own plans. He asked Mr. Jagan to confine himself to giving suggestions on Mr. Naidu’s statement. He also said Mr. Jagan was a first-time MLA who was not aware of legislative procedures.
The House plunged into pandemonium at this stage as YSR Congress members surrounded the Speaker’s podium demanding a debate ahead of the decision. The Speaker adjourned the proceedings for an hour and called it a day shortly after resumption when there was no change in the situation.
