Bharaitya Janata Party Floor Leader and MLA Vishnukumar Raju expressed anger over Andhra Pradesh government for not giving due recognition to the MLA’s and MLC’s by nominating them to different boards and committees constituted by the state government.
Hyderabad: Taking on the ruling TDP government, Bharaitya Janata Party MLA and party Floor Leader in Andhra Pradesh State Assembly on Tuesday criticised the government for treating the MLA’s and MLC’s, as if they are illiterates and “Thumb Walas”.
The visually angry Raju while participating in discussion on the drought situation and disaster mitigation in the state, asked the Deputy Chief Minister N Chinarajappa, and Labour Minister K Acchannaidu, why MLA’s and MLC’s are not nominated various boards and committees constituted by the government.
The first round of attack of Raju came when the issue of Tourism has come for discussion on the last day of the winter session of the Assembly. Lashing at the government for its total inaction in encouraging tourism in Visakhapatnam, he said, “Whenever you talk about promoting tourism in the State, it is the Visakhapatnam which stands on the top of all others. But, what you have done in last 18 months to promote tourism in the Steel City is a big ‘Zero’, he criticised.
Furious Raju fuming at the government said, “There is enough potential to make the City of Destiny, as the most favoured tourism destination in the state. Yet, no efforts made by the government in that direction, he added. The government had constituted certain committees to prepare proposals of tourism project. But, nothing is known to the local MLA’s, he said.
Rising a recent issue in which four people died due to a land slide in Visakhapatnam, Raju pointed out, there are thousands of houses being illegally constructed on the hill slopes in the city. There is no safety for the people living in those houses. Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao advised long back during his visit to the city to move all people living in the houses on hill slopes. But, no action coming from successive governments so far, he criticised.
Further, “The issue has been brought to the notice of the ministers and the government. None of the ministers visited the area. The lone Social Welfare Minister Ravela Kishore Babu who once visited these colonies had asked to send proposals to move the people living in these houses. Following this, the district administration had sent a proposal with an estimated cost of Rs 11 Cr, to move the people living on hill slopes to safer locations. But, no action taken on the proposal and people continue to live under the threat of land slides. “Making empty talking would not do. I want a special package to move the people living on hill slopes. The Centre has allocated housing units to the STate, for the poor in huge numbers. But, what Visakhapatnam got was not enough. I want more housing units for the city to move people to safe locations,” he said.
Sensing the mood of the member from the alliance partner, Rajappa said that a committee was constituted to survey the area and to come up with proper proposal to address the issue. This has made Raju further furious, asking “How could you constitute committees like that?, going by the designations of the officials. Don’t think those coming to the Assembly as MLA’s and MLC’s are illiterate and “Thumb Walas”, we are highly educated and experienced. It was the people’s representatives who visit these areas regularly and we know the constrains of the people there. But, you don’t bother including the MLA’s and MLC’s as members in the committees,” he said.
