Din in Assembly over suicide of sarpanches

Hyderabad: Uproarious scenes were witnessed in the assembly on Saturday when CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka said several sarpanches took their lives or attempted suicide owing to non-release of funds by the government. Legislative affairs minister, Vemula Prashanth Reddy demanded that Bhatti withdraw his remarks for indulging in mudslinging without ascertaining facts and sought his apology.BRS MLA Rasamayi Balakishan, responding to one of the instances that Bhatti had mentioned in his speech, said that a particular sarpanch had been unwell and that the government had helped in his treatment. Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy also asked Bhatti to withdraw his remarks and apologise to which the latter said he had relied on media reports on sarpanches’ suicides. He added the government should ascertain the veracity of the reports. tnn