Guv Naik faces paper missiles as UP House session makes stormy start

Opposition MLAs flung paper balls at Governor Ram Naik and marshals frantically deflected the projectiles with files as the opening day of the maiden session of the new Uttar Pradesh assembly presented a spectacle of complete mayhem.

The ear-splitting sound of a whistle and uninterrupted slogan-shouting continued through the 35-minute customary address by the governor, but the 83-year-old Naik stood his ground and read out the 84-page speech.

The spillover effect of a bitterly fought assembly election, which saw BJP's return to power in the state after a hiatus of 15 years, was clearly visible from the very start as opposition SP, Congress and BSP members raised slogans against the government over law and order problems, including cow vigilantism.

As soon as Naik, flanked by UP Assembly Speaker Hridaya Narain Dixit and Legislative Council Chairman Ramesh Yadav, began reading aloud his address, the entire opposition was on its toes, shouting slogans against the Yogi Adityanath government and trooping into the Well.

A BSP placard read "Police pit rahi thano mein, Yogi tere zamane mein" (police getting beaten up under Yogi's rule), "goraksha ke naam par gundai band karo" (stop hooliganism in the name of cow protection)".

SP legislators also sought to corner the government on law and order issue.

Congress too joined the opposition with slogans like - "Kanoon vyastha dhwasth hai, sarkar bucharkhane, teen talaq me vyast hai" (law and order is in a shambles as government is busy with slaughter houses and triple talaq). –PTI