Chairman of the Telangana Legislative Council K Swami Goud was injured when a headphone hurled by a Congress MLA hit him near his right eye when Governor Mr ESL Narasimhan was delivering his address to the joint session of the legislature on Monday.
Goud was taken to Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital where he was treated. He has been kept under observation for the next 24 hours.
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The moment Narasimhan began his address, MLAs from the Opposition Congress stormed the well of the House raising slogans against the alleged anti-farmer attitude and the government’s failure to stop farmers’ suicides in the state.
Marshalls were posted to prevent members from coming closer to the podium.
Congress deputy floor leader K Venkat Reddy was the most aggressive. He threw one headphone half way through the Governor’s address, which hit the table and fell to the carpet.
The second one was just after Narasimhan concluded his address. This headphone hit the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, right behind the well above Narasimhan’s lectern and hit Goud.
As this happened all rose to attention for the national anthem after which Goud and Legislative Assembly Speaker S Madhusudanachary ceremonially escorted the Governor to his car in the main portico.
When Goud returned he mentioned some discomfort near his eye and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao immediately advised him to visit a doctor.
Later at the Business Advisory Committee meeting chaired by Madhusudanachary, Deputy Leader of the Opposition T Jeevan Reddy expressed his regret at the episode and dubbed it unfortunate.
Legislative Affairs minister T Harish Rao said the Congress came with a clear intent to clear ruckus. He wondered what would have happened had the headphone hit Narasimhan instead.
Harish Rao said all records, including video footage, would be studied and asserted that appropriate action would be taken against the MLA.
Venkat Reddy, however, said he threw the headphone in a fit of anger and it was unintentional. He said that he was angry because all the Congress wanted was to protest peacefully and democratically, but the ruling party posted hundreds of marshals.
