The governor’s address on the opening day of the Budget session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly was on Friday marred by uproarious scenes by the Opposition, barring the BJP, against law and order situat
The governor’s address on the opening day of the Budget session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly was on Friday marred by uproarious scenes by the Opposition, barring the BJP, against law and order situation, agrarian crisis, cow slaughter and reservation benefits in promotion.
As soon as governor Ram Naik, a former BJP leader, began his address, which read more like an official release, to the joint session of the state legislature, BSP members , followed by Congress, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Apna Dal members stood up shouting slogans that included “Governor go back”. Several members carried banners demanding the dismissal of the Akhilesh government.
Sporting caps emblazoned with slogans against the state government, BSP members carried banners. Issues on which the banners focused included law and order situation, plight of farmers in Bundelkhand, delay in payment of dues to cane growers and cow slaughter. The BSP members also raised the issue of reservation in promotion.
Congress members were seen carrying banners that demanded the development of Bundelkhand while the RLD members confined themselves to the cane growers’ issues.
Peace Party member Dr Ayub was seen carrying a banner that demanded death sentence for Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamlesh Tiwari who is in jail for his utterances against the Prophet.
Congress members came wearing caps with photographs of Rahul Gandhi printed on them. BJP members, however, remained seated and did not join in the protest.
The governor initially pleaded with the Opposition members to restore order in the house and later began reading his address. He read the introduction of his address and then the conclusion and left the House in less than 20 minutes.
Later talking to reporters, the Leader of Opposition, Swami Prasad Maurya, and BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui said that they had opposed the governor’s address because the state government had proved to be a failure on all fronts.
“There has been no development on the ground and atrocities on dalits and Muslims have increased. Thousands of dalit employees have been demoted because the state government did not take up the issue in court,” the BSP leaders said.
The governor’s address, meanwhile, listed the various welfare schemes launched by the Akhilesh government and the developmental project being undertaken.
More than being forward-looking, the governor’s address read more like an official release issued by the state government during the past one year.
