At last, the draft Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 was introduced in the State Assembly on Monday. However, utter pandemonium prevailed when the Speaker Nadendla Manohar announced introduction of the bill as per the directive of the President Pranab Mukherjee under article 3 of the constitution.
The members from Telangana and Seemandhra regions stormed the Speaker's podium and continuously raised slogans in support of their respective demands.
Amidst noisy scenes, the Assembly Secretary Raja Sadaram read out the letter sent by the President and the brief contents of the bill.
Following uproar, the Speaker adjourned the House for 30 minutes.
Speaking at the media point in the Assembly premises, the Telangana legislators, cutting across party lines, hailed the introduction of the bill as the historic occasion and true festival for the people of Telangana.
However, the Seemandhra member and Telugu Desam Party leader Payyavula Kesav denounced the manner in which the government introduced the bill in the House.
He questioned why the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) was not convened before introducing the bill. Another Seemandhra TDP member Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao tore the copy of the bill, saying the government was adopting undemocratic means to push through the bill.
The government has hurt the sentiments of the Seemandhra people who are yearning to keep the state united, he said.
The 65-page bill will be put for debate in the House before sending it back to the Centre. There will be no voting on the bill. Only the opinions of the members will be taken.
