yderabad: The land row involving Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy rocked the state assembly for the second day today (Dec 14, 2006), with almost all the opposition members suspended for the question hour. 

Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy suspended members of the Telugu Desam Party, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Communist Party of India-Marxist as they kept stalling the proceedings demanding the chief minister's resignation for violating land laws.
 

The chief minister Tuesday announced he was surrendering 618 acres of surplus land that he and his family were holding in violation of various laws for three decades.

Though the government came forward for a debate on the issue after the question hour, the opposition insisted that the question hour be suspended. As the uproar continued, the speaker suspended 35 members of the three parties.

When the members refused to leave the house and shouted slogans, marshals were called to evict them. Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu and others who were not suspended walked out in protest. Holding placards and shouting slogans, they later staged a sit-in in the lobbies.

The opposition wants the resignation and prosecution of Rajasekhara Reddy for violating the Andhra Pradesh Land Reforms (ceiling on agricultural holdings) Act, Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands (prohibition of transfer) Act and Andhra Pradesh Forest Act. Anyone violating these laws can be jailed for two to three years.

In an attempt to nail media baron Ramoji Rao and other bigwigs holding land in violation of various acts, the chief minister announced the surrender of 618 acres of surplus land out of 758 acres of YSR Estate in Vempalli mandal in Kadpa district.

Hours later, the authorities issued notices to Ramoji Rao, GVK Group and Sanghi Group asking them to furnish details of the land they were holding.

The opposition is not convinced by the chief minister's argument that he took the step when he realized that he was holding surplus land.

TDP president and former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu said Rajasekhara Reddy was not fit to continue as the chief minister.