Oppn terms UP CM's 'chipko movement' remarks as 'unparliamentary'

The Opposition in Uttar Pradesh assembly today accused Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of using "unparliamentary language" in his speech in the House and demanded expunging of those remarks from the record.

The SP, BSP and Congress members reached the House with black ribbons tied on their arms to protest the chief minister's remarks made yesterday in their absence when they had staged a walkout to protest against various issues.

Taking a dig at the Opposition's bid to reach an understanding ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Adityanath yesterday had said a sort of 'chipko' movement was underway among the Opposition parties.

He had also said that those who failed to see a change in law and order situation were suffering from "vision disorder".

"A sort of 'chipko' (sticking together) movement is presently underway in the state...The BSP says it maintains distance from the SP... Don't know how much distance they maintain... The snake can never become a mole... it will always bite," the chief minister had said in the assembly.

As soon as the House met today, Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury raked up the issue, saying unparliamentary language was used by the chief minister in his reply on the state's supplementary budget yesterday.

SP member Parasnath Yadav said despite being a 'yogi', the chief minister made statements which reflected his "inexperience".

Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu alleged that the political parties and people were compared with animals by the chief minister and it was not in good taste.

He demanded that the "unparliamentary words" be expunged.

"The statement shows that the chief minister did not have any respect for the Opposition. The language used by him yesterday was unwarranted. The Opposition's voice is being gagged by the BJP," he told reporters later.

He also demanded apology from the chief minister.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, however, maintained that there was nothing unparliamentary in the chief minister's speech.

"You can get the speech examined. There was nothing objectionable or unparliamentary in the CM's speech. Many times comparisons are drawn in an address. No names were taken by the CM," Khanna said in the House.

Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit said he would sit with the minister and discuss the issue and added that "he is reserving his decision on the matter".

The issue also figured in the UP Legislative Council with Leader of Opposition Ahmed Hasan (SP) objecting to some of the remarks of the chief minister.

The Chair, however, did not accept the SP member's contentions, citing certain rules.

Responding to Hasan's contentions, Leader of the House and Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said, "The UP chief minister had only mentioned about opposite behaviour. If you are saying that anyone was compared with any animal, then it is wrong.

"A few moments back, a member had shouted 'agrho (upper caste) ki sarkaar nahi chalegi'. Have we come here discuss such things?" the deputy CM asked.

SP MLCs too wore black ribbons on their arms today to protest against Adityanath's remarks.