Hyderabad: TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday lashed out at Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy for trying to influence the proceedings of Andhra Assembly to suit his vested interests and prevent the Opposition from raising issues of public concern such as drought and price rise.
"The Chief Minister is looking down at elected
representatives as `schoolchildren` and preventing them from
discharging duty as legislators," Naidu, who is Leader of
Opposition, alleged at a press conference here today.
The Rajasekhara Reddy government was re-living the days
of emergency by imposing curbs on the media, he said.
"Restrictions on media are imposed only during Emergency and
the same situation is prevailing in the AP Legislature now,"
Naidu pointed out.
Even in the House, the cameras were focused mostly on the
Speaker while the Opposition members were being totally
blacked out.
"If our voices are not heard in the media, how will
people know if their elected representatives are functioning
effectively? What is the point in having a live telecast of
the House proceedings when the Opposition is not shown," the
TDP leader wondered.
He demanded that all curbs on media in the Legislature be
lifted. "We shall fight for this," Naidu promised.
Meanwhile, the chief minister once again said that
Chandrababu Naidu "failed miserably" in being an effective
Leader of Opposition.
"I asked Chandrababu earlier to learn lessons from me on
how to be an effective opposition leader. I once again invite
him to take lessons from me on the same," Reddy remarked while
leaving the House after it was adjourned for the day.
Bureau Report
