BRS MLAs toss papers at Speaker and Minister

Hyderabad: A Dramatic Day in the Assembly

The Telangana Assembly witnessed intense drama on Thursday, with disruptions and protests from BRS MLAs over the Formula E race issue. The scenes inside the House mirrored the chaos outside Parliament, marking an unprecedented day in the last decade.

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The commotion began when BRS MLAs, led by T Harish Rao, demanded a discussion on the Formula E race. As Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy prepared to respond to the Bhu Bharati Bill, the protesting MLAs threw papers at both the Speaker, Gaddam Prasad, and the Minister. Harish Rao accused the government of defaming their leader through media leaks and insisted that any alleged irregularities be discussed in the Assembly before cases were registered.

Congress MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy countered this demand, stating that since the Governor had already approved the case, there was no need for Assembly discussion. Tensions escalated as some BRS MLAs entered the Well of the House, shouting slogans against the government. Members such as Anil Jadhav, Padi Kaushik Reddy, and KP Vivekanand threw papers at the Speaker and the Minister, prompting Congress members to retaliate by throwing paper balls.

Amid the chaos, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes. When the session resumed, Revenue Minister Srinivas Reddy condemned the incident and urged the Speaker to take action. However, BRS MLAs continued their protest, moving to the Well again. Marshals intervened, forming a shield to prevent them from advancing, as the MLAs raised slogans like “Tanashahi Nahi Chalegi” (Dictatorship will not be tolerated).

Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu criticized the BRS for deliberately creating disturbances and urged them to return to their seats for a constructive discussion. The Speaker also appealed to Harish Rao, acknowledging his 21 years of legislative experience, to focus on the Bhu Bharati Bill. Meanwhile, BJP leader A Maheshwar Reddy was called to speak but had to change seats due to disruptions from BRS members.

The situation worsened when BRS legislators displayed photos of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy with Formula E race promoter Alberto and continued throwing papers. Unable to restore order, the Speaker adjourned the House for another 10 minutes and summoned BRS members to his chambers. When the session resumed, the BRS MLAs voluntarily walked out of the Assembly, marking a dramatic end to the day’s proceedings.

This unusual turn of events highlighted the growing tensions between the ruling government and the opposition, with both sides refusing to back down during the heated session.