NE NEWS SERVICE
HYDERABAD, FEB 11
Taking the battle against Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Parliament on Thursday, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs submitted notices to move privilege motion in both the Houses against the PM for his uncharitable remarks against formation of Telangana State.
The MPs also staged a walkout from both the Houses as they were not permitted to raise the issue. The TRS Parliamentary Board also decided to boycott the ongoing budget session for two days in protest against the Prime Minister’s remarks and for not being permitted to raise the issue.
Modi, in his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, created a furore when he made unsavoury comments against the manner in which the AP Reorganisation Bill was passed in Parliament that led to the birth of Telangana State in 2014. The comments had triggered massive outrage in Telangana with people and TRS leaders taking to the streets on Wednesday, seeking an unconditional apology from Modi and withdrawal of his comments.
In Parliament on Thursday, the TRS MPs, holding placards, raised slogans and stormed into the well in both the Houses and staged protests when they were disallowed by the respective presiding officers to take up the issue.
Earlier in the morning, Rajya Sabha MPs led by TRS Parliamentary Party leader K Keshava Rao submitted a notice to the Secretary General seeking to move a privilege motion against Modi. When Keshava Rao tried to raise the issue in the House, he was not permitted by Deputy Chairman Harivansh who said the House Chairman will take a decision on the issue.
The TRS MPs, however, did not budge and protested against the Prime Minister’s comments and later staged a walkout. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also supported the TRS MPs and found fault with the Prime Minister’s comments.
Later speaking to media persons in New Delhi, Keshava Rao said the Prime Minister’s comments attracted breach of Parliament privileges besides hurting the people of Telangana. “Modi’s comments amount to demeaning the procedures and proceedings of the House. This is highly objectionable as Parliament is the temple of democracy,” he said.
In the evening, when proceedings commenced in Lok Sabha at around 4 p.m., the TRS MPs tried to raise the privilege motion issue against the Prime Minister for his remarks. They had earlier submitted a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and the Secretary General.
Led by Nama Nageswara Rao, the TRSMPs in Lok Sabha stormed the podium of the House and staged a protest before staging a walked out. Addressing media persons, Nageswara Rao said the TRS MPs decided to boycott the ongoing session in both the Houses for two days for not being permitted to raise the issue.
