Members of the ruling Telugu Desam Party have demanded suspension of YSR Congress MLA R.K. Roja from Andhra Pradesh Assembly for the rest of her tenure for her gestures and alleged abusive language used against dalit MLAs including a Minister.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Assembly on Tuesday, TDP member V. Anita explained how Ms. Roja had made personalised accusations against her. She alleged that the YSRC member had made abusive remarks against her family which was tantamount to character assissnation.
Ms. Anita, who broke down during her speech, said that a privilege motion had been moved against Ms. Roja and wanted the Chair to come to her rescue. The YSRC member was suspended for one year for making derogatory comments against Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his Cabinet colleagues on December 18.
Another senior member Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary wanted non-bailable cases be registered against Ms. Roja for indulging in character assassination of a dalit member and she be arrested with immediate effect.
Bharateeya Janata Party member Vishnu Kumar Raju, who supported the YSRC members' demand for revocation of the suspension, said that he was not aware of the comments made by Ms. Roja and hence, made a request to revoke the suspension. "I am withdrawing the support extended to the member and will abide by whatever action the Chair initiates against the YSRC member," he said.
Minister P. Sujatha was equally critical of the YSRC member for casting aspersions on the character of dalit members. By remaining a silent spectator to his party member's excesses, Opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had indirectly insulted dalits, she opined.
She wanted the member to be disqualified permanently for indulging in such "atrocious" behaviour.
Responding to the demand, Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao said that he was examining the video tapes and comments made by Ms. Roja in the last two sessions. Though the member had expressed regrets over her behaviour in the last session, she did not mend her ways and repeated the same gesture in this session too.
"Once the examination is through, appropriate action will be initiated against the member for her behaviour which is belittling the prestige of the House," he asserted.
