Bedlam in UP Assembly, paper missiles thrown at Governor

Lucknow, May 15 (IANS) The first sitting of the 17th Uttar Pradesh Assembly witnessed unruly scenes and pandemonium on Monday with the opposition disrupting proceedings and throwing paper missiles at Governor Ram Naik.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) later lashed out at the opposition for its "unruly behaviour", saying they were doing it out of frustration for having lost the state elections.

As soon as the national anthem concluded in the morning, legislators of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) threw paper missiles at the Governor, whistled and raised slogans on the issue of law and order in the state. They were carrying posters and banners against the BJP government of Yogi Adityanath. A visibly upset governor Naik said the behaviour of the opposition was being witnessed by the whole state.

The pandemonium continued for more than 30 minutes. The opposition also accused the BJP government of not fulfilling its electoral promise of loan waiver for farmers and on the matter of reining in criminals and mafia.

Congress legislator from Rampur Khas, Aradhana Mishra, held placards on the issue of poor voltage, power cuts and lack of security for women. SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary accused the state government of failing completely on all fronts and said that people wearing saffron scarfs had cut loose on the streets and were taking law into their hands.

Leader of the Congress Legislature party Ajay Kumar Lallu accused the Yogi Adityanath government of lying on the loan waiver for farmers and said nothing has been done to ensure payment of arrears for cane growers.

State president of the BSP Ram Achal Rajbhar also accused the state government of failing to protect Dalits and said that they will ensure that the Yogi Adityanath government is made accountable on this.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a three-fourth majority in the 403-member state assembly with 325 members along with its allies, while the the SP has 47, the BSP 19 and the Congress has

Leading the attack on the opposition, Power Minister Shrikant Sharma said they were doing this out of frustration.

"The conduct of the opposition parties during the address of the Governor was shameful and unparliamentary," Sharma, who is also the state government spokesman said.

He added that the fact that lawmakers from the opposition benches were continuously whistling as Governor Ram Naik was addressing the joint session of the House spoke volumes of the disregard they have for parliamentary norms and decorum.

Sharma also rued the fact that the "shouting brigade" was being led by former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. "The very people who have presided over corruption, chaos and a law and order machinery in shambles are now not able to digest the good works rolled out by the BJP government in 50 days of its rule," the Minister stated.

Akhilesh Yadav, whose Samajwadi Party lost the elections, has been accused by the treasury benches of inciting legislators of his party to disrupt the proceedings and to show disrespect to the Governor.

The House was adjourned till Tuesday after opposition parties refused to pay heed to repeated requests for calm.