Oppn MLAs, MLCs disrupt Vidhan Sabha, Parishad proceedings

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs and MLCs on Tuesday disrupted the proceedings of the legislative assembly and council after party chief Akhilesh Yadav was stopped from boarding a chartered flight to Prayagraj to attend a programme organized by the Allahabad university students’ union.

When the question hour was in progress, SP MLA Narendra Verma stood up from his seat and told the Speaker that the SP MLAs wished to draw the attention of the house to an urgent issue, to which speaker Hriday Narayan Dikshit told Verma to take his seat.

Verma said the democratic rights of the opposition party leaders were being crushed by the state government. Soon the SP MLAs rushed into the well of the house and raised slogan against the state government.

When the speaker adjourned the house till 12.30 pm, the SP MLAs sat on a dharna in the well of the house. Later when the house assembled, the SP MLAs again raised slogans. This time they were joined by the BSP and Congress MLAs.

Hitting out at the opposition, Parliamentary Affairs minister Suresh Khanna said in a letter to Akhilesh Yadav the DM of Prayagraj had urged him to postpone his visit to Prayagraj as it might lead to a law and order problem in the city. The DM also informed Yadav on Monday itself that in view of the past experiences the Allahabad University administration had decided to not invite people associated with political parties to the annual function organised by the students union. Yet overlooking the request, the SP chief decided to proceed to Prayagraj, Khanna said.

“The SP chief was neither arrested nor any officer misbehaved with him. The district administration officers present at the airport merely told him to not

disobey the law and as someone who had held a Constitutional post earlier he should have respected the request,” Khanna said.

In Parishad, leader of opposition Ahmad Hasan raised the issue during Question Hour, accusing the government of acting in a dictatorial manner.