The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Resolution on Council revival adopted

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Friday, Jul 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Resolution on Council revival adopted

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JULY 8. The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution seeking revival of the Legislative Council, abolished 19 years ago.

Fulfilling a promise made in its election manifesto, the Congress Government secured the approval of the House with 207 members out of 256 present supporting the resolution, 44 opposing and 5 remaining neutral. Telugu Desam and CPI(M) members opposed and the CPI was neutral while the Congress, the TRS and other parties favoured it.

The resolution was moved by the Minister for Finance and Legislative Affairs, K. Rosaiah, himself a member of the Upper House until it was abolished. The Telugu Desam sought to stall introduction of the resolution demanding discussion on employment of child labour in an industry owned by a Congress ((I) MP.

The resolution will go to Parliament for approval before the revival of the Upper House becomes a reality. The annual commitment of the Government for running the affairs of the Legislative Council is put at Rs. 9 crores.

The Council was abolished on May 30, 1985, during the Chief Ministership of N.T. Rama Rao. The Rajiv Gandhi Government at the Centre had ratified the resolution of the Assembly. However, when the Congress Government tried to revive the Council in 1989, the United Front Government at the Centre refused. A resolution adopted by the House on January 23, 1990, was passed in the Rajya Sabha but fell through in the Lok Sabha. Incidentally, Mr. Rosaiah had moved the Bill reviving the council as Legislative Affairs Minister in 1990 and repeated the act now after 14 years.

The resolution to revive the Legislative Council was opposed tooth and nail by the Leader of the Opposition, N. Chandrababu Naidu. He argued that it would be nothing but a rehabilitation centre for politically unemployed people belonging to the Congress. It involved an additional burden of Rs. 20 crores on the State's treasury. He asked the State Government to go for a referendum before passing the resolution as the general public would not support it.

Mr. Naidu was critical of the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, for supporting the abolition of the Council in 1985 and reversing his decision now. He quoted Dr. Reddy as comparing the Council to the fifth wheel of a vehicle.

He said the Congress Government was raising false hopes in politically unemployed leaders and workers.

Mr. Naidu maintained that there was no need of the Council, which is expected to offer intellectual input to the decisions of the Lower House, since the latter was by itself a fine blend of intellect and experience.

Defending the Government decision, Mr. Rosaiah said the Council was contemplated to fine-tune debates in the Assembly. He referred to three Bills passed by the previous Assembly which were returned by the President for reconsideration as they were not up to the mark in intellectual content.

A comment by Mr. Rosaiah that the affairs of the Council could be run with the interest on bank deposits made out of the proceeds from the sale of a piece of land at Madhapur here donated by the TDP Government to an MNC kicked off a furore in the House. Mr. Naidu challenged the Government to cancel all the permissions given to MNCs.

He advised the TDP not to contest for the membership of the council if it did not want.

The Agriculture Minister, N. Raghuveera Reddy, said the Council would be a source of strength while the Rural Development Minister, D. Srinivas, dismissed the demand for referendum by Mr. Naidu.

Akbaruddin Owaisi (MIM) termed the revival of the Council as the birthday gift for the Chief Minister.

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