Oppn targets govt on crime, corona in VP

LUCKNOW : The twin issues of crime and coronavirus pandemic dominated the proceedings of the Vidhan Parishad (Council) on the second day of the monsoon session on Friday with an aggressive opposition accusing the government of failing on both the fronts.

Setting the tone for the day, the Samajwadi Party (SP) disrupted the Question Hour by creating noise over the ‘deteriorating’ law and order and ‘worsening’ coronavirus pandemic the state.

Immediately after chairman Ramesh Yadav started proceedings, MLC and SP state president Naresh Uttam drew the House’s attention to the twin issues and demanded a discussion.

He was soon joined by other members who, holding placards in their hands, trooped into the well shouting slogans and demanding the chair to allow discussion on the two burning issues by suspending Question Hour.

They also raised the issue of an ‘increasing’ number of killings of Brahmins in the state and shouted slogans like ‘Brahmno ki hatya karna band karo’ (stop killings of Brahmins).

After the chair’s efforts to calm down the agitated members failed, the House was adjourned for 20 minutes and then twice again for 20 minutes each even as SP members staged a walkout.

All Opposition parties —SP,

Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress -- raised the two issues and demanded a discussion. Uttam, Anand Bhadoria, Sunil Singh Sajan and others alleged the law and order had totally collapsed in the state.

They said nobody felt safe even as the police was being used to muffle the voice of opponents instead of dealing with criminals. They referred to specific cases of murder, rape, kidnapping etc to substantiate their claims.

Congress’ Deepak Singh said the rule of law had ceased to exist in UP where every section of society was being attacked.