T-Cong MPs shift stand on Parliament boycott - To Attend Parliament Only On Days Necessary

In a partial modification of their stand,T-Congress MPs on Saturday decided to attend monsoon session of Parliament, but only on the days when their presence is required, for instance when passing bills.The steering committee of the T-Congress peoples representatives,which met here on Saturday to discuss whether to continue their boycott of the session,finally decided to climb a step down. The meeting was attended by eight MPs,eight ministers,two MLCs and six MLAs. Opinion was divided among leaders. Members like P Sudhakar Reddy, K A Amos (MLCs) and P Balaram Naik (MP) argued in favor of attending the ongoing Lok Sabha session, while MPs, K Keshava Rao and G Sukhender Reddy opposed the decision as it would send wrong signals to the people on the motives behind such a decision.

Amos, Balaram Naik and Sudhakar Reddy reportedly argued that instead of whiling away their time in meetings,it would be better for the members to go to the House and stall the proceedings in protest.Such a step would force other parties also to think about the issue in the Parliament, they argued. However, Keshava Rao and Sukhender Reddy said,instead of attending the House regularly,MPs would attend the proceedings whenever their presence was required.We can attend the House at the time of voting and other emergency situations, they opined. As for others,while the ministers will continue their protest by abstaining from the office work,MLAs will also boycott the official programs.But all the leaders would attend the Independence Day celebrations on August 15, said Gandra Venkataramana Reddy after the meeting.

Briefing the media after the meeting,MP Sukhender Reddy said the party would take up several programmes as part of their agitation for Telangana state.On August 9,the party would organise protest rallies in memory of Telangana martyrs,Reddy said.Similarly on August 11,the T-Congress would organise protest meetings in Hyderabad against the Centres stand on the removal of 14 (F) clause from the presidential order of 1975. MLA Gandra Venkatararamana Reddy suggested that the TCongress should request the NGOJAC to postpone their proposed strike from August 17 till the completion of the negotiations initiated by AICC general secretary Gulam Nabi Azad with Congress leaders of all regions to evolve a consensus on the Telangana issue.

NGOs strike is a powerful weapon. It should be used as the last resort. So,let us wait for the completion of the talks, he said.

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(Source-TOI)