Senior Telugu Desam Party leader and Repalle MLA Anagani Satya Prasad on Thursday appealed to the state assembly privileges committee to withdraw its decision to deny mike to TDP deputy leader K Atchannaidu and senior member Nimmala Ramanaidu to speak in the house.
Satyaprasad, who is also a member of the privileges committee, wrote separate letters to privileges committee chairman Kakani Goverdhan Reddy and assembly secretary Balakrishnamacharyulu to this effect.
Taking strong objection to the decision of the committee not to allow Atchannaidu and Ramanaidu to speak in the assembly for their rest of the term, the TDP member requested that the committee reconsider its decision.
He said it was not correct to prevent the Opposition leaders from speaking on the people's issues in the Assembly. In fact, the Opposition had a responsibility to raise and bring people's problems to the notice of the Government. In democracy, the Opposition had a duty to question the policies of the Government at every step.
He said the decision on banning the TDLP deputy leaders from speaking was taken unilaterally. Nobody would accept or approve the policy to look at the Opposition members as enemies. The ruling party would always take the opinion of the Opposition if it was really committed to the wellbeing of the people.
“Any criticism would be taken in a constructive way. Suggestions and advice would be sought from the Opposition all the time. It is not correct to treat it as a crime if the TDP members questioned the Government on policies and people's issues,” he said.
Satya Prasad recalled how the YSRCP members behaved in the Assembly when they were in the Opposition during the TDP rule. They went and stormed the Speaker's podium and created ruckus.
“Keeping in view all such past incidents, the decision on denying the mike to the TDLP deputy leaders should be reconsidered. Denial of the opportunity to speak in the Legislative bodies would amount to undermining of the freedom of expression as provided by the constitution,” he said.
Satya Prasad said that a chance should be given to Atchannaidu and Ramanaidu to give their explanation to the Privileges Committee.
The TDLP deputy leaders should be given another chance and thereby the respect of the House could be protected.