NEW DEHLI –
In yet another shameful incident in the Indian Parliament, expelled Congress MP L Rajagopal used pepper spray to disrupt proceedings in Lok Sabha soon after the Telangana Bill was tabled.
MPs were seen coughing, covering their eyes due to the effect of pepper spray used in the parliament.
The intensity of the pepper spray was so strong that ambulances were called in for MPs to rush to hospital.
The incident happened when Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was reading the Telangana Bill in the Lok Sabha.
Earlier, the Parliament House complex turned into a fortress with MPs opposing the creation of Telangana threatening to stage angry protests as the bill to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh was to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
With the disrupting members who are spread across parties like Congress, TDP and YSR Congress upping the ante, there is a strong likelihood that the Centre would move for their suspension to ensure a debate and voting.
The normal life is thrown out of gear in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh due to a bandh called against the Centre’s move to table the bill.
The TDP, YSRCP activists and other united Andhra supporters held rallies at several places in the two regions against the state’s division.
They squatted in front of the bus stations and prevented the buses from plying on the roads. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions remained shut at many places with the pro-united Andhra employees also taking part in the agitation. Attendance in government offices was thin.
Government had already taken the President’s nod for introduction of the Bill in the Lower House after initially planning to table the Bill in Rajya Sabha.
Since the separate statehood legislation is a Money Bill, it could not be tabled in Upper House.
The Government decided to go ahead with bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh notwithstanding the state Assembly’s rejection of the Telangana Bill.
The Telangana issue continues to rock both Houses of Parliament and virtually no business was conducted in the extended winter session that began on February 5.
