No end in sight for T-Bill fracas

The ruckus over the Telangana Bill is likely to continue next week too, as the suspended MPs have decided to go to Parliament and hold a sit-in until the Centre decides to withdraw the Bill.

Though the Opposition seemed willing for a debate if the Speaker gives a ruling on Monday that the legislation has been introduced, the anti-Telangana MPs have started a campaign among other political parties that their suspension was unfair.

However, there is not much support from even the Opposition side to the 17 suspended MPs.

Most Opposition leaders

Business Line spoke to made it clear that they do not have any sympathy to either side of the Andhra Pradesh MPs after the violent incidents on Thursday. So it is believed that the Government’s plan to get the Bill discussed and passed in the House may be accepted by the Opposition.

“There was tumultuous uproar and wild disorder in the House, which is unfortunate.

“No one could hear anything. But once the speaker declared that the Bill is introduced that is accepted. CPI reiterates that it will support the Bill in both the Houses,” said CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta.

The Opposition parties, particularly the BJP, had held the Congress responsible for the unruly scenes in the House.

“The causes of the parliamentary stalemate and the ugly scenes one saw on Thursday are essentially UPA provoked. Most members disturbing the proceedings belong to the UPA. No effort has been made to reconcile the differences between representatives of Telangana and Seemandhra. The Government has not provided a forum for conciliation,” said Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley.

Meanwhile, ministers from Andhra Pradesh in the Manmohan Singh Cabinet said they will protest the passage of the Bill.

To continue protest

“We will continue to protest. We will continue to raise the same issues. I will be in Parliament to block the bill,” Textiles Minister KS Rao told reporters Friday. He said other ministers will also join him in the protests.

The Ministers, he said, have demanded that Hyderabad be made a Union Territory and Anantapur and Karnool districts be added to Telangana. He urged the Centre to give Bhadrachalam division, which has been made part of Khammam district in Telangana, to Seemandhra. Congress sources, however, have indicated that no major changes are possible in the Bill at this point of time.