The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Now Speaker appeals for patience

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Tuesday, Mar 03, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Now Speaker appeals for patience

It is now an established fact that politicians can’t rid their habit of being late. Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy is no exception. He was late by an hour to the recent launch of the website by the Birdwatchers’ Society of Andhra Pradesh. Apologising as he arrived, the suave speaker had a witty remark to make.

“After all, birdwatchers need to have patience,” he quipped. Nobody dared spoil his fun by pointing out that his arrival was no match to the sighting of a rare bird, and hence, was no reward for the wait.

It was a big inauguration spree last week. With a view to beating the election code deadline, the government was in a hurry to inaugurate projects even if they were incomplete. The other day Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy inaugurated Rajiv Gruhakalpa housing ventures in Ranga Reddy district. Though the structures were ready, the infrastructure like roads and electricity was not in place yet. Same was the case with the HMWSSB building at Khairatabad. Except the fron t portion, the office block was incomplete in many respects. Yet it was inaugurated in great haste on Friday.

So many news channels might have brought a great choice to viewers, but it is tiring out those wanting to highlight their issues before the media. The other day, a group of former naxalites announced their intention to join Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam.

But, what they did not bargain in joining the ‘social change-seeking’ party was that traditionally, its chief comes a good two hours late for any programme and in the interregnum, they have to contend with the television media. Till the star arrived, the organisers gave interviews to scores of channels, including national ones, one after other.

So much so that when Chiranjeevi finally arrived, chief organiser E. Sambasiva Rao screamed into the mike: “Though our throats have become dry talking to all the channels, we still have to explain our issues, once again”! Perils of democracy, ex-comrades!

These days, police officials appear to be on the edge owing to a series of incidents reported in the twin cities during the last few days. Be it ruckus created by MRPS activists by climbing the roof of State Assembly or slogan-shouting at a public meeting at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad and later attack on Gandhi Bhavan, they all exposed security lapses. More than 10 activists also tried to breach the police cordon and obstruct the convoy of AICC president Sonia Gandhi, but they were nabbed. The police were also baffled by the entry of MRPS women workers to the Parade Grounds even after making security arrangements. The way they tossed chairs and raised slogans left Congress leaders embarrassed. Seems the police are at receiving end.

SWATHI.V,

J.S. IFTHEKHAR,

V. GEETANATH,

M. SRINIVAS

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