AP House: 77 Opposition Members Suspended over OMC Row

77 legislators, belonging to TDP, TRS, CPI and CPI(M), were on Thursday suspended for a day from the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, as opposition members stalled house proceedings demanding the constitution of a House Committee to probe into alleged irregularities by the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).

Speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy issued the legislators following a resolution moved by Legislative Affairs Minister K Rosaiah.

Minutes after the house re-assembled after being adjourned for the second time on the issue, opposition legislators members stood up to press for their demand – of a probe by a house committee into the alleged irregularities.

The sloganeering cut short Rosaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, as he attempted to get on with his reply to the debate on the budget.

The ensuing commotion saw Rosaiah move a resolution for suspension of the members, which was passed by a voice vote.

Earlier, Chief Minister YSR Reddy turned down the opposition’s demand for a house committee, saying the matter was pending in court. Denying opposition claims he charged that the opposition was acting as an impediment in the path of progress.

On a counter offensive, YSR accused the opposition members of “creating doubts in the minds of investors coming to the state,” said the chief minister, and recounted that an all party delegation of legislators that visited the mines, some two years ago, had failed to find any irregularities.

OMC is one of the five firms engaged in iron ore mining in Obulapuram and nearby villages in Anantapur district bordering Karnataka.

He clarified that the Center’s recent suspension of mining lease of five companies, including OMC, followed a dispute between two mining companies and questioned the interest of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu in the dispute.

He further claimed that the mining lease was granted to OMC in 1996 by the earlier TDP government and stressed that his government only renewed the lease in accordance with court orders.

Sticking to his guns, Naidu iterated that serious irregularities were committed by the Congress state government to favour the OMC.

Following the day long suspension, opposition legislators staged a protest in front of the assembly building. Addressing the legislators, Naidu alleged that YSR’s personal interests were behind his refusal to constitute the committee.