By Sampat G. Samritan

Copyright deccanchronicle

Vijayawada: The 48th session of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council witnessed uproar on Thursday, when endowments minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy targeted former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the YSRC for “attacking” some prominent hospitals. The reference was to the SVIMS and BIRRD, where doctors were allegedly intimidated during Jagan Reddy’s visit to Tirupati following the death of devotees in the recent stampede there. The minister was replying to the queries raised during Question Hour on Thursday by members, including P Rama Subba Reddy, Varudu Kalyani and Krishna Raghava Jayendra Bharat on the action-taken report by the government on the stampedes at the Tirupati and Simhachalam temples. The minister said, “Soon after learning about the death of six devotees and injuries to several devotees, a group of ministers, including me, rushed to Tirupati based on directions from the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to oversee relief. The Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan and others arrived there. Some central ministers were also there to take darshan of Vaikunta Ekadasi.”However, he said, YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy along with his supporters visited the two hospitals, intimidated the doctors and damaged the infrastructure in the two hospitals. “They did so even though the purpose of Jagan Reddy’s visit was to console the bereaved family members. Jagan and his supporters even obstructed the convoy of vehicles of the deputy CM.” The minister went on to say that Jagan Reddy was discourteous to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, state ministers and even central ministers there. “YSRC MLCs raised objections and started raising slogans. They alleged that the government’s failure to make proper arrangements led to the stampede and deaths.”Council chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju repeatedly appealed to the members to calm down and allow the house to continue with its business. The minister explained in detail what steps were initiated in the aftermath of the stampede. Action was taken against some officials, some were shifted, and an inquiry committee headed by a former high court judge, Justice Satyanarana Murthy, was set up. He has submitted his report. The minister explained about the circumstances leading to the deaths during the wall collapse at Simhachalam temple and the action-taken report. Officials failed to take permission from seniors to go ahead with the construction of a wall to stop mudslides from the hilltop, causing trouble to the devotees, he said. Earlier, council chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju, while starting the council session, announced he was disallowing adjournment motions given by the YSR Congress members. One of them had sought a discussion on the shortage of urea in the state.The house plunged into pandemonium with the opposition members insisting on taking up the adjournment motions for discussion. They trooped into the well and climbed up the podium, raising slogans.The chairman adjourned the session for a short period to restore order. Agriculture minister K Atchannaidu said the government was ready for a discussion and would give the house details on the issue, and urged the YSRC members to raise the matter in a proper format. YSRC member Botsa Satyanarayana intervened and sought a discussion on the issue, and questioned the government’s assurance to take it up on Friday.