If you can't elevate prestige of the House, don't degrade it: Andhra Speaker tells MLAs

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker C Ayyannapatrudu on Thursday said that while legislators may not always succeed in enhancing the prestige of the House, they have ''no right to undermine it'' in the eyes of the public. His remarks came after a turbulent opening of the budget session, during which YSRCP legislators disrupted Governor S Abdul Nazeer's speech by indulging in sloganeering and tearing papers. The Speaker expressed disappointment that the disruptions occurred in front of a gallery of students invited to witness the proceedings. Addressing the House, he said, ''We should keep in mind, whatever we do, it's okay if we do not elevate the prestige of the House, but we do not have the right to undermine it. Everybody should remember this.'' Ayyannapatrudu noted that students from various schools across the state were invited to foster civic awareness. ''I invited them to form a favourable view of legislators, but with our behaviour, what will those students learn? What will they think of us?'' he asked, warning that a negative impression on these impressionable minds would be difficult to erase. Reflecting on the opposition's conduct, he urged all legislators to introspect. ''Those responsible need to look inward. I appeal to them through this House,'' he added. On Wednesday, YSRCP legislators, led by party supremo Jagan Mohan Reddy, had boycotted the House and staged a walkout. Meanwhile, in the Legislative Council, IT Minister Nara Lokesh said the government is attracting companies to the state one after another, noting that Andhra Pradesh has secured 25.3 per cent of the country's total investments. Defending the allocation of land at just Rs 0.99 per acre in Visakhapatnam to select companies, he said it was a strategic move to promote investment as the IT minister. ''An ecosystem should be built for sustenance. These are not paper companies; they are all credible, large-scale players. A vibrant ecosystem needs to be created in Visakhapatnam,'' he said. He added that five companies received land at Rs 0.99 per acre, which is expected to generate over 60,000 jobs. Later, Deputy Speaker K Raghurama Krishna Raju adjourned the Assembly to Friday.