The Hindu : Front Page : TDP dharna in House even after adjournment

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Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007
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TDP dharna in House even after adjournment

Party’s protest goes on late into the night

- PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR

Dogged protest: Telugu Desam MLAs and MLCs staging a sit-in in front of the Gate 2 of the Assembly in Hyderabad on Monday night.

HYDERABAD: Mounting pressure on the Government to clarify its stand on enhancement of the minimum support price for paddy to Rs. 1,000 a quintal, the Telugu Desam Party staged a marathon protest in the Legislative Assembly that continued till late Monday night.

The TDP members, who sat on a dharna near the Speaker’s podium in the afternoon, continued the protest even after the House was adjourned for the day.

Efforts by the Legislature Secretariat staff to convince them failed to yield results, as the party announced its decision to continue the protest in the hope that “the Government will at least announce concrete measures on Tuesday”.

At one stage, the staff prevented the TDP members from carrying foodstuff into the House and it attracted strong criticism. The protest also led to heated arguments between media personnel and the staff.

While the securitymen wanted the mediamen to vacate the premises, as the House was adjourned for the day, journalists retorted that they would not leave as long as the MLAs and Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu were present.

Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy told The Hindu that Legislature Secretary K. Tuljanand Singh had been directed to convince the TDP legislators to vacate the premises.

He said it was the collective responsibility of the members to run the House and that they needed to cooperate and maintain its sanctity.

Normal practice was that the members should not stage a dharna in the House after it was adjourned. “If they want, they can continue their protest at MLA quarters,” he added. Asked if the MLAs would be evicted, Mr. Reddy said he would wait for sometime and try to persuade them to vacate the premises.

Taken into custody

Meanwhile, the police took into custody some TDP leaders, including N.Rajakumari, when they tried to force their way into the Assembly to express solidarity with the agitators.

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