Adityanath attacks oppn for keeping away from special session on Mahatma

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday flayed the opposition for keeping away from the special session of the UP legislature, saying they don't have faith in "democratic values" and ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi.

The 36-hour special session of the Uttar Pradesh legislature to mark the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi began at 11 am on Wednesday.

"The opposition is boycotting the special session organised to mark the 150 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. They are those who don't have faith in democratic values and ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi," Adityanath said in his address in the UP Legislative Council.

The chief minister, who addressed the assembly on Wednesday, addressed the Council at 11 am today.

He charged that for the opposition "power" is a medium for "vyaktigat loot khasoot" (personal loot) and has nothing to do with public welfare.

The chief minister, who was in the assembly till 1 am on Thursday, in his address highlighted works done by his government to achieve sustainable development goals.

"In our government the incentives are now performance-based. Those who work will be taken care of and those who are not are kept on our radar," he said.

Nearly 100 BJP members were in the House overnight as part of the special session.

While the Uttar Pradesh Assembly has a total strength of 403, opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, BSP, Congress and the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, had boycotted the session.