The Andhra Pradesh legislative council witnessed chaotic scenes on Friday following protests by members of the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), forcing Chairman Koyye Moshen Raju to adjourn the House briefly.
Soon after the council convened for the day, YSRCP members submitted two adjournment motions seeking a discussion on the supply of ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
The motions were moved by YSRCP MLCs Kumbha Ravibabu, Thumati Madhavarao, Mangamallu, and Balli Kalyan Chakravarthy.
As usual, the chairman rejected both adjournment motions, triggering strong protests from the opposition members. In response, YSRCP legislators rushed to the chairman’s podium and staged a demonstration.
Holding photographs of Lord Venkateswara and placards, they surrounded the podium and raised slogans, demanding a discussion on the issue. This has given a golden opportunity to the TDP members.
State finance minister Payyavula Keshav strongly objected to the YSRCP members bringing photographs of Lord Venkateswara into the legislative council by wearing chappals.
He said the conduct of the opposition members was “shameful” and unbecoming of a responsible political party.
The minister alleged that YSRCP members entered the House carrying images of the deity while wearing footwear, calling it an insult to religious sentiments.
He also pointed out that while going out of the house after the adjournment of the council, the YSRCP members dumped the portraits of Lord Venkateshwara indiscriminately on the desks, showing scant respect and devotion.
He further accused them of deliberately provoking tensions in the House on a daily basis. He said the behaviour of YSRCP members hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community and crossed all acceptable limits.
Questioning the need to bring religion into politics, he asked what message the opposition intended to send by using religious imagery in the legislature.
He also demanded that YSRCP president and former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy clarify the party’s stand on the issue and apologise to the Hindu community for hurting religious sentiments.
BJP MLC Somu Veerraju also strongly criticised the YSRCP’s conduct in the legislative council. Speaking at the assembly media point, he alleged that the opposition had insulted Hindu sentiments.
He termed it “unforgivable” that members entered the House wearing footwear while carrying images of the deity and described the act of throwing or mishandling the photographs as disrespectful.
Veerraju demanded that Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy apologise to the Hindu community.
