Tiwari hit by TRS `paper missiles’

HYDERABAD : Andhra Pradesh Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari on Monday almost got hit by “paper missiles” from Telangana Rastra Samiti benches for ignoring the Telangana statehood issue in his speech.
In his first address to the joint session of the Assembly and Legislative Council on the first day of the budget session, Tiwari sidestepped the T-issue and instead promised that the government would end all regional disparities in development. Angry TRS members then tore up copies of his speeches and flung it at him. A bunch of papers landed on his dais, forcing marshals to throw a ring around him.
The Governor’s address in the old Assembly buildings was marred by vocal protests from TRS MLAs and MLCs demanding a separate state. TRS MLAs also stayed away from the customary breakfast hosted jointly by the Council Chairman, A. Chakrapani and Assembly Speaker, K.R. Suresh Reddy. Telugu Desam and MIM members also raised their voice against the “false promises” of the government.
The Governor announced many sops to minorities, Kapus, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes in his speech. Tiwari claimed that the state government had been able to maintain peace during its tenure and added that the recent terror attacks were part of a global phenomenon.
He announced the implementation of the Rs 2 a kg rice scheme for the poor from April and extension of the Rajiv Arogyasri health insurance scheme to all Below Poverty Line families from October 2.
The Governor also promised scholarships to students from Kapu and other economically backward communities, four-lane roads to district headquarters and important towns and multi speciality hospitals in all districts. Further, the state government is planning to set up a university in every district, ports in all coastal districts, ensure air connectivity to major towns and build houses for middle class people, he said.