The Rajya Sabha on Thursday witnessed high-voltage drama even after its proceedings were adjournment for the day, as the TDP members continued their protest over their demand for Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh.
The hours-long drama ended at night only after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs were marshalled out from the House.
The TDP members, who staged dharna inside the House even after the adjournment in the post-lunch session, described their eviction from the House as an "insult of Andhra Pradesh".
"This is not only a great injustice to the people of Andhra Pradesh but also an insult. We are not going to stop here. We will intensify our protest further until our demand is met," C.M. Ramesh, the TDP's Rajya Sabha member, told reporters after being marshalled out from the House.
The TDP members did not leave the upper House till late evening even after repeated appeals to end their protest and vacate the House.
TDP Lok Sabha members were also sitting in the Central Hall to express solidarity with their Rajya Sabha colleagues.
They stayed in the Central Hall even after their two colleagues were taken to hospital as they had taken ill.
Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien spoke to the protesting MPs, urging them to leave the House but they did not relent.
The House was adjourned for the day at around 2.35 p.m after three adjournments earlier.
The TDP members had been protesting in favour of their demand since presentation of the union budget, and kept raising the demand throughout the second-half of the Budget session that has been almost washed out, with just one more day to go.
The session will come to a close on Friday.
Sources in the TDP said that the MPs will not leave Delhi and will stay here even after the House was adjourned sine die on Friday.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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