Telangana Bill moved in Lok Sabha amid din for consideration and passage

NEW DELHI: Government on Tuesday moved the volatile Telangana Bill for consideration in Lok Sabha but the pandemonium created by opponents to the legislation prevented a discussion as the House was repeatedly adjourned.

Notwithstanding the continuing protests inside and outside Parliament, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde moved the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2014 for consideration even as MPs from Seemandhra, including ministers, were in the Well opposing bifurcation of the state.

They were raising slogans in favour of United Andhra Pradesh and carrying placards with such messages.

The ministers in the Well were Chiranjeevi, D Purandeswari and K S Rao.

For the first time, CPI(M) members also joined the protest against creation of Telangana. They were carrying placards opposing bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and demanding that the measure should not be adopted without debate.

Sixteen members from the region, belonging to Congress, TDP and YSR Congress, were suspended from the House last Thursday till February 20 after unprecedented pandemonium that saw expelled Congress member L Rajagopal bursting pepper spray causing commotion.

Members from Telangana region were also in the Well seeking early creation of the separate state.

Members belonging to some other parties raised various other demands like passage of bill for reservation in promotions, SC/ST sub-plan bill and moving of resolution against Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council.

Soon after Shinde started speaking, the pandemonium forced Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn the House at 12.15 PM for half an hour.

Similar scenes were witnessed when the House met again. Some members, including AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Trinamool Congress' Kalyan Banerjee, demanded division on introduction of the Bill.

The bill was introduced on February 13 amid din but a number of parties have refused to accept that.

Amid uproar, Shinde continued to speak on the bill. However, even while he was speaking, the Speaker adjourned the House till 3 PM in view of the disruptions. Earlier, the House was adjourned twice.

Earlier, the Speaker pleaded with the members to restore order in the House so that she could take up the notices for no-confidence motion received by her and ascertain these have the backing of at least 50 MPs.

Unfazed by vociferous protests, government today moved the controversial Telangana Bill for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha.