Telangana: Legislative council chairperson hurts eye after headphone flung by Congress MLA hits him
KV Reddy defended his actions, and said he had thrown the headphone ‘as a last resort’.
Telangana Legislative Council Chairperson K Swamy Goud hurt his right eye on Monday after a protesting Congress MLA flung a headphone that hit him. KV Reddy, who represents Nalgonda Assembly constituency, later said his target was Governor ESL Narasimhan.
The commotion in the House began as soon as the Budget session commenced. Congress MLAs started protesting against the state government’s indifferent attitude towards the growing agrarian crisis. When Narasimhan began to address a joint session of the legislative council and Assembly, the MLAs tore copies of the governor’s speech and tossed them at the podium. Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs had boycotted the governor’s address.
Goud was taken to Sarojini Devi Memorial Eye Hospital. Doctors said they would observe him till Tuesday, reported The News Minute.
Congress MLA komatireddy venkatreddy is clearly seen flinging the headphone which hit the #Telangana council chairman swamy goud in the eye. Reddy was a minister in the previous congress regime and aspires to be cm. pic.twitter.com/cgBjNR4Exo
— T S Sudhir (@Iamtssudhir) March 12, 2018
Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao condemned the “unruly behaviour” of the Congress members. “This is totally uncalled for by the opposition members,” he said, according to the Hindustan Times. “They came to the House planned to create disturbances. What would have happened if the headphone hit the governor, causing him injuries?”
Rao said the authorities of the Assembly have been asked to submit a report on Monday’s proceedings. “We shall take appropriate action against the MLA and his colleagues for violating Assembly rules,” he added.
The chief whip of Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the legislative council, P Rajeshwar Reddy, alleged that Reddy was in an “inebriated condition” and had “malicious intention to attack the ruling party members”.
Reddy defended his actions saying he had no other option. “As there was no mention of farmers’ suicides in the Governor’s speech, we wanted to express our dissent in the House,” said Reddy, according to The New Indian Express. “But, we were not allowed even to proceed to the Well of the House. Marshals were pressed to manhandle us in the House. Hence, as a last resort, I hurled the headphone towards the governor.”
On Sunday, Telangana Rashtriya Samithi president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had reportedly told his party MLAs to take action against Opposition members if they tried to disrupt the governor’s address.