HYDERABAD: BRS MLA G. Jagadish Reddy was suspended from the Telangana Assembly for the remainder of the budget session following remarks perceived as objectionable towards Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.
The incident occurred during a debate on the Governor’s address when Reddy commented that it lacked human touch and resembled something generated by Artificial Intelligence. He stated, “There was no human element; the governor was made to speak in a way that lacked depth.”
Government whip Adi Srinivas objected to Reddy’s remarks, noting that the BRS had not achieved anything in its nearly 10-year rule. Tensions escalated further when Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu and former minister T Srinivas Yadav argued over the need to stick to the topic at hand.
The Speaker adjourned the House, and upon reconvening, members from the treasury benches described Reddy’s remarks as highly objectionable and insulting not just to the Speaker but also to the entire Dalit, backward, and tribal communities. Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu moved a motion for Reddy’s suspension, stating that addressing the Speaker as an individual insulted the chair. The motion was approved, leading to Reddy’s suspension for the remainder of the session.
Protesting the Speaker’s decision, BRS members staged a walkout from the Assembly. The suspension left the party in disarray, with members expressing shock and uncertainty about their next steps. Despite indicating readiness to retract comments and apologize, the Speaker did not permit further discussion, leading to the suspension.
