Andhra Pradesh Speaker apologises for remarks against TDP

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday expressed regret over his remarks against principal opposition Telugu Desam Party in the House and announced he was withdrawing them.

“If any members were hurt by my remarks yesterday, I regret that and withdraw the remarks. The remarks were meant only to ensure order in the House and not to hurt any member,” the Speaker said in the House on Thursday.

“What nonsense,” the Speaker shouted at the TDP members before adjourning the House for the day on Wednesday and also remarked that the TDP had failed as an opposition party.

Mr. Reddy made the remarks after the TDP members disrupted the proceedings over the issue of water supply to a private steel plant promoted by Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhana Reddy in Kadapa district.

Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu took strong exception to the Speaker’s remarks and said the latter should “behave with dignity.” “Whether or not he (Speaker) should withdraw the remarks is left to his wisdom,” the TDP chief said after the House was adjourned.

The Speaker, when the House began on Thursday, withdrew his remarks and expressed regret. The House on Thursday transacted business smoothly, beginning with an elaborate Question Hour.

20 injured in violence on Osmania University campus

Violence over the Telangana issue rocked Osmania University Sunday night and 20 students were injured when police fired rubber bullets and used batons to disperse them.

Six mediapersons also sustained injuries and their cameras and other equipments were damaged in the police action on the campus, eye-witnesses said.

The trouble began when students took out a rally hailing the resignations of 15 legislators and demanding that others quit too. As the protestors tried to march towards Tarnaka area, police and paramilitary forces stopped them, leading to heated arguments.

A police officer claimed that students started pelting stones, forcing them to baton-charge. Eye-witnessed said police personnel beat up several students and mediapersons, who sustained bleeding injuries.

Tension gripped the sprawling campus, the nerve centre of ongoing agitation over the demand for statehood to Telangana as police action evoked widespread condemnation by students organisations and pro-Telangana parties.

The All-party Joint Action Committee (JAC) has condemned the police action on the campus.

The university has been witnessing clashes between students and police since the agitation began in November last year.

Explosive situation at Osmania University

An explosive situation prevailed in Osmania University here Sunday night as violence over Telangana issue, police firing and arson rocked the campus.

Police and paramilitary forces laid siege to the campus as the tension spread to neighbouring residential neighbourhood with residents coming out in support of students.

The sprawling campus plunged into darkness as police cut off electricity and stopped even ambulances from entering the university, eye witnesses said.

Leaders of university students Joint Action Committee (JAC) alleged that police entered hostels and beat up students. The JAC leaders threaten mass suicides if the police and paramilitary forces do not vacate the campus.

Students set afire police tents on the campus and raised slogans of 'police go back'.

Police fired several rounds of rubber bullets and teargas shells at the Arts College. It also baton charged students and beat up journalists covering the students' protests.

Six media persons also sustained injuries and their cameras and other equipment were damaged in the police action on the campus, eye-witnesses said.

A large number of students including girls were still sitting on the campus protesting the police 'brutality'. A JAC leader and a journalist sustained serious injuries in police baton charge.

Media persons alleged that it was well-planned attack on them as the policemen abused them for covering the student protests and did not even spare their vehicles.

The trouble began when students took out a rally hailing the resignations of 15 legislators and demanding others to quit. As the protestors tried to march towards Tarnaka area, police and paramilitary forces stopped them, leading to heated arguments.

A police officer claimed that students started pelting stones forcing them to baton-charge.

Tension gripped the sprawling campus, the nerve centre of ongoing agitation over the demand for statehood to Telangana as police action evoked widespread condemnation by student bodies and pro-Telangana parties.

All-party Joint Action Committee (JAC) has condemned the police action on the campus. Police arrested JAC convenor M. Kodandaram when he wanted to enter the campus to meet students.

The university has been witnessing clashes between students and police since the agitation began in November last year.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao appealed to government to withdraw the police forces immediately from the campus.

Students and journalists in several Telangana districts came out on streets condemning police action in Osmania University. They took out rallies and blocked traffic.

Tension prevailed at Kakatiya University campus in Warangal town as police mobilised additional forces to tackle student protests.

Decision on MLAs’ resignation as per Constitution: Speaker

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said he would take a decision on the resignation of several MLAs in accordance with the Constitutional provisions and rules of the legislature.

“There are three important things to be examined before a resignation is accepted. Primarily the resignation should be in a prescribed format under Rule 186 (1). I have to verify the genuineness of the resignation and ascertain whether or not the resignation has been submitted voluntarily.

“It’s totally the Speaker’s discretion whether or not to accept the resignation,” the Speaker told a meet-the-press programme here.

Reddy made these observations minutes before he received a fresh set of resignation letters from 15 MLAs on the Telangana issue.

Earlier this month, the Speaker had rejected the resignation of 129 MLAs as they were “not in the prescribed format.”