MLA Parnika Reddy Questions Assembly Focus on Untouchability, Seeks Debate on Public Issues

Congress MLA Chittem Parnika Reddy has expressed dissatisfaction over the ongoing discussion in the Telangana Legislative Assembly on issues such as untouchability and the alleged “purification” of Dalits, questioning why the House was revisiting matters she said belonged to the past when society had progressed significantly. She urged the Assembly to instead focus on the problems being faced by people in different constituencies across Telangana.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Parnika Reddy said the current developments in the state were unfortunate and that the Assembly should be spending its time discussing issues that directly affect the public. She said topics such as untouchability and the alleged purification of Dalits were associated with a bygone period and questioned the need to bring them back into the centre of political debate.

According to the MLA, society has undergone considerable change, with new ideas and a younger generation shaping the future. In such circumstances, she asked why political leaders were once again returning to controversies linked to the past.

“We have heard about such issues in the past, but those circumstances ended long ago. Society has moved forward and a new generation has emerged. Why are we going back to the past again?” she asked.

Parnika Reddy appealed to Opposition parties to put an end to the allegations and confrontations and allow the Assembly to move towards constructive discussions. She said that for the last three days, the House had failed to take up meaningful new discussions on issues concerning the people.

She stressed that the Legislative Assembly provides elected representatives with a platform to bring problems from their respective constituencies to the government’s attention. However, repeated disruptions, she said, were creating a situation where MLAs were unable to properly address public concerns or provide answers to people who had elected them.

Emphasising the aspirations of the younger generation, Parnika Reddy said elected representatives should work towards creating a better future rather than remaining caught up in political confrontations. She urged all members to ensure that valuable Assembly time is used for public welfare and for finding solutions to constituency-level issues.

She also criticised BRS leaders for making remarks against the Speaker that, in her view, crossed the limits of parliamentary conduct. Parnika Reddy said the controversy could be brought to an end with a simple apology, allowing the House to return its attention to matters that directly concern the people.