UP: A stormy start to Budget session

BSP legislators darted paper balls towards the Governor protesting breakdown of the law and order

There was no love lost between the ruling Samajwadi Party and the principal Opposition, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), as the Uttar Pradesh legislature witnessed a stormy inaugural to the 2013 Budget session on the Valentine’s Day.

Once Governor B L Joshi begin to address the joint session of the legislature, the BSP members resorted to slogan shouting and display of placards.

The BSP legislators also darted paper balls towards the Governor protesting the alleged breakdown of the law and order machinery in UP and the stampede at the Allahabad railway station on February 10.

BSP was joined by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) members, who in unison demanded judicial probe into the stampede that killed and injured several people returning after the holy dip at the ongoing Maha Kumbh.

All this while, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members were not present in the house since they had decided to boycot the Governor's address. Looking amused at the unfolding chaos, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was present in the house with his council of ministers.

While the Governor retreated amid the din, the house was adjourned until 1230 hrs.

When the house assembled, the BSP members led by its leader Swami Prasad Maurya staged a walkout even as BJP leader Hukum Singh asked the state government to bring out a white paper on the corruption by the previous Mayawati regime.

Meanwhile, the text of the Governor’s address mentioned that state commercial tax revenue had touched Rs 24,175 crore by December 2012. This was almost 22 per cent higher than the previous year and compares favourably to other states notably Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi, which had showed only 20, 19, 16, 15.7 and 13 per cent growth.

UP commercial tax department is targetting Rs 38,492 crore in revenues during 2012-13.