Legislators of the Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) were detained by the police when they staged a protest in Assembly premises, demanding an apology from Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for his alleged objectionable remarks against two women MLAs of the party.
BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao and other MLAs were evicted from the premises after they protested before the Chief Minister’s chambers.
The Assembly Marshals physically lifted the BRS legislators out of the Assembly building. The protesting MLAs were shifted to police vehicles and were later dropped at BRS headquarters Telangana Bhavan.
The MLAs, who were wearing black badges, began the protest outside the Chief Minister’s chambers in Assembly premises after walking out of the Assembly to protest the denial of mike to their party legislator P. Sabitha Indra Reddy to speak.
The BRS members stood up as soon as the House met for the day, demanding that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikarmarka apologise for their remarks against Sabitha Indra Reddy and Sunita Lakshma Reddy made in the House on Wednesday.
As Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar proceeded with the listed business, the BRS MLAs trooped into the well of the House, raising slogans.
They tried to disrupt the proceedings when Industry Minister D. Sridhar Babu was speaking on the Skill University Bill.
Despite repeated appeals by the Speaker to the main Opposition MLAs to resume their seats, they continued the protest.
Amid the protest, the Speaker conducted the proceedings.
Intervening in the debate, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy made a statement, welcoming the Supreme Court’s judgment on the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes for reservation.
Sridhar Babu, who is also the Minister for Legislative Affairs, took strong exception to the sloganeering by the BRS members and appealed them to change their behaviour.
AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi urged the Speaker to bring the House in order. He wanted the government to either give an opportunity to speak to the main Opposition MLAs or suspend them.
Sridhar Babu said the government wants the Opposition to participate in the debate on important legislations.
On repeated demands by Owaisi, the Speaker allowed BRS MLA Harish Rao to speak on the Supreme Court judgment.
The former Minister found fault with the way the House proceedings were being conducted and termed the House ‘Kaurava Sabha’.
After welcoming the Supreme Court order, when Harish Rao started speaking about the Chief Minister’s remarks about women MLAs, the Speaker switched off his mike.
Agitated over this, the BRS MLAs walked out and sat in front of the Chief Minister’s chambers. However, Sabitha Indra Reddy and Sunita Lakshma Reddy remained in the House, demanding an opportunity to speak.
The BRS has called for a state-wide protest against the Chief Minister’s remarks.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had made the remarks while referring to defection of Sabitha Indra Reddy to BRS after winning the Assembly election on a Congress ticket in 2018.