The Opposition Congress members staged a protest on farmers' issues by holding placards, raising slogans and squatting in the well of the House in the State Legislative Assembly throughout the sitting on Friday, even as the Question Hour was carried out.
Some 10 members of the Congress moved into the well as soon as the chair, occupied by Deputy Speaker M. Padma Devender Reddy, announced taking up Question Hour. They raised slogans against the government alleging that it was neglecting the farm sector and farmers. The placard they held had also slogans seeking relaxations in cotton procurement norms to enable the farmers get minimum support price and also crop loss compensation to farmers whose standing crops were damaged in the heavy rains last month.
Dignity of House
The Congress members wanted the Chair to give an opportunity to Leader of the Opposition K. Jana Reddy to speak but the Chair insisted that it could be given only if they resumed their seats.
After over half-an-hour into the sitting, Akbaruddin Owaisi of the MIM made an appeal to the Opposition leader and his party colleagues to end their protest stating that they could take up the matter for discussion as the first priority issue since the government was ready to discuss it.
Further, he noted that the it was the duty of the members to maintain dignity whenever the Leader of the House speaks by resuming their seats.
He also suggested the government to take appropriate action to ensure that the House is run smoothly if the Opposition party remained adamant and added that few members can’t hold the House to ransom and can’t dictate the chair. In spite of the appeal, the Congress members stuck to their protest till the House was adjourned to meet again on Monday.
