BJP, oppn show of unity' forces adjournment of UP Assembly

In a rare show of solidarity across party lines, Uttar Pradesh MLAs on Tuesday forced the adjournment of the assembly for the day when the Speaker refused to let a BJP legislator discuss the alleged high-handedness of an official.

Vidhayak Ekta Zindabad, (Long live MLAs' unity), legislators chanted when the House reassembled after a brief adjournment over the same issue during Zero Hour.

Amid the din, Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit then announced the adjournment of the House for the entire day.

There had been three brief adjournments earlier as Loni MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar tried to raise the high-handedness of a Ghaziabad food inspector with whom his representatives had reportedly quarrelled on November 27.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna and others were seen trying to calm down Gurjar during the periods of adjournment.

Earlier, the Speaker observed that he was trying to understand the issue and said it would be resolved.

Senior members Raghuraj Pratap Singh (Independent), Aradhana Misra alias Mona (Congress) and Lalji Verma (BSP) said it was perhaps for the first time that the House had been adjourned for the day because of a ruling party MLA.

Even after the Speaker called it a day, some members from both sides kept occupying their seats.

Earlier this month, Gurjar's representative was arrested in Ghaziabad for allegedly manhandling the food inspector at the MLA's office.

Gurjar levelled allegations of corruption against the food inspector after the arrest.

The Loni MLA is also an accused in the case and been served a show cause notice by the party over it.

"A lobby of the BJP is active against me and they are hatching a conspiracy to tarnish my reputation. They provoked the food inspector into lodging an FIR against me," the MLA had then alleged.