Din in LS over ‘abusive language’
Congress and TDP MPs clashed in the Lok Sabha on Monday, with allegations that abusive and un-parliamentary language was used by both sides. While the TDP members were unavailable for comment, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain articulated their version. He conveyed the matter to Ms Swaraj, who lodged a complaint with the Speaker against Congress MPs Sandeep Dikshit and Yakshi Goud.
“We strongly condemn this behaviour of Congress MPs. This is unfortunate. Their act was shameful. Congress chief whip Dikshit and Madhu Yakshi Goud abused these MPs, who were named by the Chair. They were threatened by these two MPs,” Mr Hussain later told reporters.
Mr Dikshit, on his part, said Congress members were abused after they told TDP members to come out of the House and talk instead of causing disruptions. “But they were using abusive language in Telugu language,” he said.
Mr Goud attacked the BJP for intervening, saying it was “fishing in troubled waters”. He said, “Instead of condemning TDP for using unparliamentary language in Telugu, they are condemning us.”
Mr Goud said the incident was triggered after Mr Sivaprasad, who was wearing the mask of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, used abusive language.
MPs from Andhra Pradesh remain divided on regional lines and the division has become even more acute since the resolution of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) favouring a Telangana state. The CWC in its resolution on July 30 had asked the Centre “to take steps in accordance with the Constitution to form a separate state of Telangana ... within a definite timeframe.” The CWC had also proposed to the government that Hyderabad be made a joint capital for a period of 10 years.
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Festive season to pinch more
Sridhar Kumaraswami
New Delhi, Sept. 2
With the Dussehra and Diwali festivals approaching within the next few weeks, passenger air traffic is expected to increase. Airfares usually shoot up at this time every year as demand peaks.
But the hike in fares could be all the more steep since the effect of the festival season will be accompanied by high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices.
ATF accounts for about 45 per cent of the operating costs for airlines. Airlines have already been hit by the falling value of the Indian rupee vis-à-vis the US dollar and the steep ATF hike will now come as a double whammy.
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