The Interim Railway Budget for the next fiscal was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday with practically no discussion as members from Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal picketed the Well of the House with their respective demands.
Only three members including Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav managed to get in a word as Speaker Meira Kumar decided to cut short the debate in view of the chorus of protest in the Well by Congress members from Andhra Pradesh and Trinamool Congress members from West Bengal.
Though some of those in the Well including three ministers from Andhra Pradesh had been there from the time the House was convened for the day for the presentation of the Interim Budget, their decibel level rose when the Railway Budget was taken up for discussion.
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One of them even stood inside the Secretary General’s enclosure as the Railway Budget was passed with Minister of State for Railways Kotla Jaya Surya Prakash Reddy stood in the Well with other members from Andhra Pradesh protesting against the move to bifurcate the State.