Roja issue dominates proceedings

On denial of entry into the House, she stages dharna on the pavement outside the Assembly. As her blood and sugar levels dropped, she was moved to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in an ambulance.

YSR Congress MLA R.K. Roja, who fainted during a protest demonstration in front of the AP Legislative Assembly in Hyderabad on Saturday. (Below) Leader of the Opposition and YSRC president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy leading a march from the Assembly to Dr. Ambedkar statue on Tank Bund. —Photo: Special Arrangement

: Suspension of YSR Congress MLA R.K. Roja dominated the proceedings of the Assembly on Saturday even as she was prevented from the entering the House for the second consecutive day.

The YSRC legislator, who obtained a stay on her suspension from the High Court of judicature, was not allowed inside the Assembly as the Legislature Secretary filed a petition with a Division Bench of the High Court seeking vacation of the stay. Heated arguments were witnessed yet again between the security personnel and Ms. Roja. She insisted that the Chief Marshal produce the written instructions, if any, to prevent her from entering the House, but the official maintained that he was following the instructions from the higher ups.

Enraged over this, Ms. Roja staged a dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the pavement outside the Assembly premises. The YSRC legislator developed signs of illness as she staged her protest amid sweltering heat conditions.

As her blood and sugar levels dropped, she was moved to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in an ambulance. The YSRC legislators sported black shirts in protest against the year-long suspension of their member in violation of rules.

Protest staged

The members, who stormed the Well of the House, raised slogans demanding justice disrupting the proceedings.

Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, who continued question hour in spite of the sloganeering, adjourned the House twice as the members remained unrelenting. The Speaker was firm that the Assembly should take a decision on the issue as it was the House which passed an unanimous resolution suspending the YSRC MLA for one year.

The matter was posted to Monday and the members were free to air their views in the House when the issue would come up for discussion.

Dr. Rao, however, adjourned the House for the day as the din continued. After the House was adjourned, YSRC legislators led by the Leader of the Opposition, Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy staged a march to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s statue at Tank Bund where they staged a protest, throwing the peak hour traffic out of gear.