Hyderabad: Twenty-two BRS MLAs, including party working president KT Rama Rao and former minister T Harish Rao, were suspended from the assembly for the remainder of the session on Wednesday after the House descended into chaos over rival demands for discussion on alleged police misconduct during a BRS protest and the party’s subsequent ‘purification’ exercise at Erravelli.The suspension, moved by legislative affairs minister D Sridhar Babu and approved by speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, came after repeated disruptions by BRS members demanding a discussion on alleged police misbehaviour with women legislators during Tuesday’s protest near BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao’s farmhouse in Erravelli.The turmoil intensified after Congress members, including ministers Adluri Laxman and Sridhar Babu, and deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka, raised the issue of BRS leaders sprinkling turmeric water to “purify” the protest site.The suspended members are Harish Rao, KTR, G Jagadish Reddy, Gangula Kamalakar, Padi Kaushik Reddy, Madhavaram Krishna Rao, Kova Laxmi, K Manik Rao, Chinta Prabhakar, Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Marri Rajashekar Reddy, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, P Sabitha Indra Reddy, Devireddy Sudheer Reddy, V Sunitha Laxma Reddy, Kaleru Venkatesh, Vijayudu, KP Vivekanand, Kalvakuntla Sanjay, Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Anil Jadhav.Opening the debate, minister Laxman objected to the purification exercise carried out by BRS leaders at the site where SC groups had staged a protest near KCR’s farmhouse on Tuesday. He said the act amounted to insulting Dalits and demanded a discussion in the House.Backing the demand, Bhatti said such an act could not be justified. “We have a state formed with self-respect. Feudal tendencies will not work,” he said.BRS members, however, insisted that the House first take up the issue of alleged police misconduct towards women legislators during the protest. They raised slogans demanding an apology from the govt, triggering repeated adjournments and disruptions.Amid the uproar, Sridhar Babu warned that there could be no compromise on maintaining the dignity of the legislature. He said abusive language and objectionable behaviour inside the assembly or its premises would not be tolerated and urged members to respect democratic norms, the speaker’s authority and the smooth conduct of proceedings.The minister said the opposition should contribute through constructive suggestions and public interest interventions rather than create controversies and divert attention from issues affecting people.During the protests, BRS members also alleged that the Congress govt wanted KCR’s death. Rejecting the charge, Bhatti said neither the govt nor the assembly harboured any such intent.“Neither this govt nor these members nor this House wishes for the death of KCR. We strongly wish that he lives for a full hundred years in good health and continues to serve the people of this state as the Leader of the Opposition,” he said.Bhatti also accused the BRS of attempting to insult Dalits through the purification exercise and alleged that the party was once again trying to undermine the dignity of the speaker and the House.The speaker repeatedly appealed to BRS members to return to their seats and maintain decorum. He said members could submit their grievances in writing and would be given an opportunity to raise them. Questioning the conduct of those who had previously held ministerial positions, Prasad Kumar asked whether it was appropriate to stand before the chair and raise slogans.With the protests showing no signs of abating, Sridhar Babu moved a motion to suspend the 22 BRS MLAs for the remainder of the session, which was approved by the speaker.
