UP legislature rocked for second day as Akhilesh grounded
LUCKNOW: The denial of permission to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to fly to Allahabad rocked the Uttar Pradesh legislature on Wednesday as angry SP and BSP members stalled proceedings of both the Houses.
The entire Question Hour was derailed in both the Assembly and the Council as proceedings had to be adjourned repeatedly and then for the day as the agitated members were in no mood to relent.
Protests by SP and BSP members on the issue started as soon as the two Houses met for the day. The pre-lunch sitting of the Assembly saw two adjournments as opposition members vociferously raised the issue. Amid uproar, Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit adjourned the House, first for 30 minutes and then for the entire Question Hour.
SP leader Narendra Verma tried to raise the issue during Question Hour.
He was instantly supported by BSP legislature party leader Lalji Verma, who said, "Lathicharge was done in the entire state by police and fake cases were lodged against protestors. An MP (SP'S Dharmendra Yadav) was injured in the
lathicharge." "There is 'Hitlershahi' in the state as the government is resorting to activities which demean democracy," he claimed. Countering Verma, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said as the opposition does not have any issue, it is creating anarchy in the state.
"Our government is committed to the welfare of people and development of the state," he added. When the speaker did not allow discussion on the matter during the Question Hour, opposition members trooped onto the Well raising anti-government slogans.
During Zero Hour, the opposition members again raised the matter and demanded that "fake cases"
lodged in the matter should be withdrawn. They also demanded that FIR be lodged against policemen involved in "atrocities", besides a judicial probe by a retired high court judge.
BSP'S Verma, while supporting SP members, said, "The matter is of utmost importance and needed judicial probe."
SP member Sangram Singh Yadav said, "I was myself present there. Police targeted SP workers in the brutal
lathicharge and also resorted to firing. They pulled off nail of a worker and beat up student leader Richa Singh, who is in hospital."