Telangana House: MLAs scuffle, Governor speech disrupted

Governor ESL Narasimhan

The Budget Session of Telangana Assembly began on a stormy note on Saturday as continuous sloganeering, verbal duel and scuffle between the members of ruling TRS and opposition TDP and BJP disrupted Governor ESL Narasimhan’s customary address to the House.

Addressing Telangana Assembly, the Governor said the newly-created state has started its journey on a “positive and progressive” note as the growth showed “encouraging” trend. His address, however, was marred by protests by TDP, Congress and BJP MLAs. They were demanding that the members who defected to TRS should be disqualified immediately.

TRS and TDP members came to blows when some members tore copies of the Governor’s address and tried to throw papers at him.

In Andhra Pradesh Assembly, which also started its Budget Session Saturday, the Governor echoed the disappointment of the state government over the Centre overlooking its demand to give special status to AP and allocate funds in the Union Budget for construction of a new capital city.

TDP, an NDA partner and also an ally of BJP in Andhra Pradesh, had earlier expressed displeasure at the state being “ignored” in the general Budget, with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu saying he was at a loss to understand why the Centre ignored it.

Addressing MLAs and Members of the Legislative Council, Narasimhan said post-bifurcation, the residual state of AP was left with huge fiscal deficit, but in spite of several representations, the Centre did not give level-playing field to the state.

“In spite of the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, the state has not been granted any special preference… Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh had also assured in Rajya Sabha that the residuary state would receive assistance from the Centre.

However, AP has got only Rs 2,500 crore since the bifurcation, including Rs 650 crore for Hudhud cyclone, Rs 350 crore under special development package for seven backward districts, and Rs 500 crore to cover revenue deficit. In the months since bifurcation the state had been expecting a lot of support from the Centre,” the Governor said.

Source:: Indian Express