BRS, MIM walk out of BAC meet protesting lack of clarity on length of session

CM Revanth Reddy says BAC can only make suggestions, can’t decide business and House will decide it

HYDERABAD

The Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) have walked out of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of the Legislative Assembly after participating in the meeting for over an hour, protesting lack of clarity from the government on the length of the session and introduction of bills without even discussing the business.

The meeting chaired by Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar was attended by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister M. Bhatti Vikramarka, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Chief Whip Adluri Laxman Kumar. Besides, T. Harish Rao and V. Prashanth Reddy from BRS, Payal Shankar from Bharatiya Janata Party and Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao from the Communist Party of India attended.

Both the BRS and MIM were particular about the length of the session and wanted it to be held for at least 15 days as there were several issues concerning people, including the issue of Lagcherla farmers. The government is understood to have the session only for 3-4 days.

Intervening Mr. Harish Rao, the Chief Minister was said to have told the Opposition parties that the BAC could only make suggestions. However, Mr. Rao insisted that it was the BAC that would decide on the business for a session. The two parties, BRS and AIMIM, protested and walked out of the meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Harish Rao said they had demanded that the government run the Assembly for at least 15 days and BAC did not mean ‘biscuit and chai’ meeting. He stated that they had also objected to the government move of introducing two bills on Monday without even discussing the agenda for the session in BAC.

Further, the BRS had also raised the violation of protocol taking place in the State as the government was inviting and making the defeated Congress candidates occupy the dais at the official events/programmes in the constituencies being represented by BRS MLAs. Mr. Harish Rao stated that BRS had also objected to the appointment of Public Accounts Committee Chairman without even taking the opinion of the main Opposition party.

The Speaker assured the BRS that steps would be taken to prevent recurrence of protocol violation incidents in the constituencies and the Chair would protect the rights of the members (MLAs).

Mr. Harish Rao stated that they had also objected to adjournment of the session for one week for attending the marriage and birthday parties and the Deputy CM making an announcement on the Rythu Bharosa assistance of ₹12,000 per year to farm workers. He also requested the Chair to allocate time to parties based on their strength and have Zero Hour every day.

Mr. Payal Shankar said his party had demanded the session for 30 days and debate on the implementation of ₹2 lakh per farmer crop loan waiver as it had not reached even half of the farmers so far. There were several issues which need discussion but there was no clarity from the government, he said adding that they had proposed 27 issues for debate during the session.

Published - December 16, 2024 06:20 pm IST