When the Telangana Assembly Becomes a Battleground

The Telangana Assembly is not supposed to be a wrestling arena. It is supposed to be the place where the government is questioned, the opposition is heard and the people’s problems are debated. Yet, once again, the House has been reduced to a stage for confrontation, slogans, walkouts and political one-upmanship.

The opening of the Monsoon Session has exposed a disturbing truth: Telangana’s politicians are increasingly treating the Assembly as an obstacle to politics rather than the institution through which politics must be conducted.

On Monday, BRS legislators wearing black T-shirts protesting the Congress government’s record were stopped from entering the Assembly premises. The confrontation reportedly turned physical, with allegations of police manhandling several legislators, including former minister Sabitha Indra Reddy. The Telangana High Court subsequently directed the DGP not to prevent BRS legislators from entering the Assembly and said enforcement of Assembly rules falls within the Speaker’s domain, not that of the police.

That judicial intervention should embarrass everyone.

Why should elected MLAs have to fight their way into the legislature?

At the same time, the opposition cannot claim the moral high ground merely because it was stopped at the gate. Once inside—or while trying to get inside—legislators have a responsibility to behave like legislators, not street protesters.

The BJP, meanwhile, disrupted Question Hour demanding a judicial probe into the controversial 22-A land issue, despite the government offering a discussion. Placards replaced questions; slogans replaced debate; the Well became more important than the microphone.

And then came the deeply unfortunate controversy involving BRS MLC T. Madhusudan’s alleged remarks about Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. The Speaker was reportedly visibly emotional, while the ruling party demanded action against the MLC. Madhusudan has disputed the interpretation of his remarks and offered to withdraw anything considered offensive.

This is not parliamentary democracy at its finest.

It is political adolescence.

Everybody is guilty of something

The Congress government must answer a basic question: Why was the police allowed to become the gatekeeper of the legislature?

If the black T-shirts violated an Assembly rule, let the Speaker decide. If an MLA broke a rule, let the House take action. If slogans were objectionable, follow parliamentary procedure.

But sending uniformed personnel into a confrontation with elected representatives is a dangerous precedent.

The opposition, however, must answer another equally uncomfortable question: Does protest require paralysis?

Black shirts may make good television. Shouting slogans may produce viral videos. Marching to the Well may generate social-media applause.

But voters did not elect MLAs to produce viral clips.

They elected them to ask questions about jobs, irrigation, farmers, education, healthcare, welfare payments, land, corruption, infrastructure and the state’s finances.

The people need answers, not theatrics.

The tragedy is that everyone is losing

The Congress wants to portray the BRS as irresponsible.

The BRS wants to portray Congress as authoritarian.

The BJP wants to establish itself as the aggressive alternative.

And every party appears to believe that disrupting the House proves political strength.

It proves the opposite.

A government that fears questions is weak. An opposition that cannot ask questions without creating chaos is also weak.

A strong government welcomes scrutiny because it has answers.

A strong opposition does not need to scream because it has facts.

A strong Speaker does not need police to maintain parliamentary discipline.

And a mature legislature does not need adjournments to discover that legislators are capable of behaving like legislators.

The Speaker’s chair cannot become another political battlefield

The dignity of the Speaker must be protected—irrespective of which party occupies the treasury benches.

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