Bumpy start to Winter session of UP Legislature

The Winter session of the UP Legislature on Thursday got off to a stormy start with the opposition disrupting the proceedings on power tariff and law and order issues, leading to adjournment of both the Assembly and the Council for the day. 

As soon as the Assembly met this morning, Opposition members, especially those from the Samajwadi Party and the Congress trooped into the Well with placards in their hands. Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury said due to power tariff hike undue burden has been put on farmers and domestic consumers and the issue needed immediate discussion. 

The SP members, donning red cap and displaying placards reading "Corruption in the name of pothole-free roads" and "Take back power tariff hike" raised slogans against the government. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present in the House. The Congress members too joined their SP colleagues sporting Gandhi cap and were heard raising anti-government slogans.

Speaker Hriday Narain Dixits appeal to members to return to their seats went unheeded. At one point, he asked the Leader of the Opposition if there was any rule that permitted bringing of placards inside the House.

"You have come to the House will full preparation", the Speaker noted.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the SP was "discarded" by the people of the state in 2014 Lok Sabha, 2017 Assembly and the recently held civic polls due to which it was disrupting the proceedings of the House. 

Amid the din, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes and extended it for 30 minutes and then for the entire Question Hour. When the House reassembled for Zero Hour, sloganeering and walkout marred the proceedings with the Opposition members again rushing to the Well with banners and placards.

Despite the Speakers requests, Congress and Samajwadi Party members trooped into the Well as soon as the Zero Hour began, shouting slogans for roll back of recent power tariff hike among others. 

The BSP members, who did not leave their seats, later staged walkout protesting the governments stand on various issues. Raising slogans like "kanoon vyavstha dhavst hai, sarkar mast hai", "patrakaro ke hathyaro ko phansi do phansi do", "lathi goli ke sarkar nahin chalegi" and "gaddha mukt sadak ke naam par bhrashtachar nahi chalega nahi chalega", the agitated legislators led by Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu continued their protest for over half an hour.

The Speaker rushed through the business listed on the days agenda amid pandemonium and adjourned the House for the day. The Speaker also took up an adjournment notice of Lalji Verma (BSP) on power tariff hike. Parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna gave details of what the government has done on this front and said the new tariff will have to be paid if power is used.

In the Legislative Council issues related to law and order, alleged shortage of fertilisers and seeds and EVM malfunctioning in the recent civic polls in the state were raised by the opposition.

SP members sported caps with slogans written on them and displayed banners despite repeated appeals from the Chair to maintain order. All the while, the BSP members kept shouting from their seats adding to the din. Amid uproar, Chairman Ramesh Yadav adjourned the House for half an hour. 

When the House re-assembled, similar scenes were witnessed again and it was adjourned till noon. Questions listed for the day could not be taken up in the din. As the House met at noon, it was action replay. 

SP and Congress members again trooped into the Well and raised slogans against the government. SP members even hurled paper balls towards the podium. Some BSP members sporting blue caps stood in their seats and shouted slogans. 

Despite the din, some legislative business was transacted. Soon afterwards, the Chair called it a day sensing the belligerent mood of the opposition members.