The issue of separate Telangana generated heat in the Lok Sabha, which witnessed two brief adjournments today as the TRS, TDP and some Congress members vociferously raised the issue.

As soon as the House assembled for the day, TRS members Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Ms M. Vijayashanti were on their feet demanding the status of the notice for adjournment on Telangana issue given by them.

Even before Speaker Ms Meira Kumar could take up the Question Hour, they pressed for the motion.

The Speaker’s direction to raise the matter during Zero Hour failed to cut any ice with the TRS members who continued to press with their demand.

A section of Congress members including Mr M. Jagannath, Mr Madhu Goud Yaskhi and Mr Sarvey Satyanarayana also raised slogans demanding a separate Telangana.

The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr V. Narayanasamy, made attempts to calm the tempers but slogan shouting continued from both sides on the issue.

In the melee, the CPI (M) leader, Mr Basudeb Acharia, who was also asked by the Speaker to raise the issue of price rise during Zero Hour, was heard voicing concern over inflation.

The Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 11:30 a.m. as Mr Rao and Ms Vijayashanti trooped into the Well. The TDP members were seen showing placards favouring a United Andhra Pradesh. TDP’s Mr Modugula Venugopala Reddy and Mr Satyanarayana were seen in the aisle.

After the House was adjourned, Congress’ pro-Telangana members had a heated exchange with their party member Mr P.C. Chacko who had asked them to take their seats.

When the House re-assembled, the leader of the Opposition, Ms Sushma Swaraj, made a strong plea for a separate Telangana, saying her party would support a bill for the separate state if the government moved it in the current session.

“Everything has come to a standstill in Telangana region. If anything is going on it is firing of rubber bullets. This can be resolved right way, the Prime Minister is sitting here. If he says that government will bring a bill for a separate Telangana, we will support it,” she said.

Ms Swaraj also utilised the opportunity to point out the differences on the issue within the Congress saying at least 11 members of the ruling party had also joined the TRS members in demanding a separate Telangana.

Meanwhile, normal life remained disrupted in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh today on the second day of the 48-hour bandh called by the Telangana groups in support of their demand for the introduction of a bill for separate statehood.

Schools, colleges, shops and other commercial establishments remained closed and public buses largely remained off the roads with some pro-Telangana workers’ unions participating in the shut down.

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