Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Govt. studying Karnataka move

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD March 23. The Telugu Desam Party is examining the decision of the Karnataka Government to pay ex gratia of Rs. 1 lakh each to the families of deceased farmers before formulating the party's response to the Congress demand to give compensation.

At a press conference here today, the TDP general secretary, M. A. Sharief, and spokesman, N. Siva Prasad, said the party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, is studying the Karnataka Government's budget documents giving details of the move to pay ex gratia. The TDP could announce its stand only after Mr. Naidu perused these papers, they added.

Answering a spate of questions about the ruling TDP's policy on the issue of giving compensation to families of farmers who commit suicide, they said it had to be discussed within the party fora. But, the basic duty of the Government is to build self-confidence among farmers and see that they are not depressed in the face of diversities.

Condemning in strong terms the action of the Congress MLAs near the Chief Minister's chambers in the Assembly yesterday, the TDP leaders evaded a reply to questions whether they favoured an inquiry into the violent incidents. It is the Speaker who has to take a decision, they added.

They said the violence by Congressmen led by the CLP leader, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, was totally unprovoked since the Agriculture Minister, V. Sobhanadreeswara Rao, had abided by the rules when he said that members could not expect an elaborate reply on an issue raised during the zero hour. Dr. Reddy and other Congress MLAs were fully aware about the rule position but were bent upon creating trouble. The smashing of glass panes and metal grills was nothing short of rowdyism, they said.

Stating that the incident was one of the worst of its kind in legislature history, they held that it had exposed the Congress party's political bankruptcy. "Civil society has to hang its head in shame'', they said.

The TDP leaders accused the CLP leader of engineering the trouble in order to redeem his political standing in the party, which was undermined by reports that he had been upbraided by the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi. Moreover, he was determined to thwart the Chief Minister from making a statement on the `Jala Chaitanyam' programme out of fear that its implementation would fetch the Government a good image.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Single ticket system for MMTS mooted
• 25 lakhs for sheep vaccine
• Govt. studying Karnataka move
• Youth Employment Summit in Dec.
• Ex-MLAs seek pension hike
• `EAMCET candidates' interests to be protected'

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu