The Hindu : Govt. agrees to call floor leaders' meet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 12, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Govt. agrees to call floor leaders' meet

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD March 11. The installation of a bronze statue in memory of the former President and first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, disturbed the proceedings in the Assembly for about 25 minutes on Tuesday.

Bowing down to the Opposition demand, the Minister for Revenue, P Ashok Gajapati Raju, assured the House that a meeting of all floor leaders would be convened soon to elicit their suggestions on the issue. "The Government is not in favour of making a controversy out of the issue and it is open to suggestions from all concerned on the installation of the statue of the late leader,'' Mr Raju said.

Earlier, raising the issue immediately after the Question Hour was completed in the House, the Congress member, J.C. Diwakar Reddy, alleged that despite assurances from the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, on installing the bronze statue of the leader at an appropriate venue in the city, the Government was yet to take a decision on the issue. In this context, he reiterated the Congress demand for installing the statue in front of the State Secretariat which was the most suitable venue to commemorate the services rendered by him. "The same Government which had earmarked properties worth hundreds of crores in memory of a late Chief Minister is postponing a decision on the installation of the statue of Sanjiva Reddy,'' he said.

Replying to the Congress member, Mr. Raju said the Government was not against installation of the statue but was exploring the options to see that the statue did not come in the way of city development plans. Suggestions were asked from all concerned and the Government would positively consider and act on suggestions received from various quarters.

However, dissatisfied by the Minister's reply, the Congress member rushed into the well of the House demanding immediate action.

The leader of the Congress Legislature Party, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who intervened at this juncture, suggested that the Chief Minister convene a meeting of all floor leaders to discuss about the venue for the installation. "Though several representations were given earlier, the Government failed to initiate action for installing the statue,'' he said.

It was only after Mr Raju assured that he would hold the meeting of the floor leaders to take a decision on the issue that the proceedings commenced in the House.

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