TRS not to stall LS, may take part in no-trust motion debate

HYDERABAD: In a significant development, the TRS has decided not to disrupt proceedings in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday but to take part in the debate on the no-trust motion moved by opposition parties against the NDA government at the Centre. The party, which has been protesting in the Lok Sabha for the past fortnight, demanding that the Centre empower states to fix quota of reservation, announced on Monday that it decided not to disturb the proceedings of Lok Sabha. “We will continue our protests in the House by confining to our seats. But, we will neither troop into the well of the House nor hold placards or shout slogans. We will even take part in the debate on the no-trust motion if it is allowed by the Speaker as we want to scrutinise the implementation of provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014,” TRS MP B Vinod Kumar has said.

Addressing a media conference along with other MPs including K Kavitha, K Keshava Rao and AP Jithender Reddy  at Telangana Bhavan here on Monday, Vinod Kumar took strong exception to the argument that the TRS members had been staging protests in the Lok Sabha only to help the NDA government foil a debate on the no-trust motion moved by TDP members. 

“Such reasoning is absurd as we were protesting in the House for enhancement of reservation quota right from day one of the budget session. TDP gave notice for no-trust motion only very recently after withdrawing its ministers from the Modi cabinet. After enjoying ministerial berths in the Union cabinet for four years, they (TDP) are now talking of bifurcation promises,” Vinod Kumar ridiculed. Earlier in the day, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held an emergency meeting with his party MPs at Pragathi Bhavan here on the strategy to be adopted in Parliament on Tuesday. According to the MPs, Rao directed them not to undertake vociferous protests but to take part in the debate on the no-trust move and pillory the Centre on fulfilment of the promises made to the Telugu-speaking states at the time of bifurcation. 

“Even though we have been agitating for a fortnight asking the Centre to empower the state to enhance the total quota limit, the NDA government has not responded and the House has been being adjourned,” Rajya Sabha member  Keshava Rao said.  “With the continuous adjournments, there was a misconception among people that the TRS was allowing the House to be adjourned. In fact, AIADMK is also protesting on Cauvery water issue,” he added.

Telangana has been demanding that the Centre allow the States to increase  total quota of reservations as per local demographic necessities. The TS legislature had passed a Bill in April, 2017 for increasing reservation to minorities from 4 percent to 12 percent and to STs from 6 percent to 10 percent. The Bill was sent to the Centre for its approval.

Questions posed by TRS MPs
BJP and the Congress are colluding with each other on issues detrimental to their interests. For instance,  they amended the relevant Acts suitably to legalise foreign funds to political parties during a debate on the Finance Bill 2018.
Why is the Congress, which gave notice for no-trust move against the Modi govt on AP issues, silent on TS’ demands? 
If Tamil Nadu was allowed to raise 50 pc cap on total reservations, why can’t the same be allowed for TS? After bifurcation the population of STs in TS has increased. The Centre should amend the Constitution in this regard. There should be ‘One Nation, One Reservation Policy’.  
The TRS leadership will take a final call on whether to back the no-trust motion.

Kavitha takes potshots at Naidu
Indirectly attacking AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, TRS MP K Kavitha said it was unfair for Andhra leaders to project that the bifurcation of the erstwhile united state was a thing done in an unscientific manner. “By making such comments, AP leaders are insulting the entire statehood movement and people of Telangana,” she said.