Opposition walks out of UP House

BSP and BJP members today walked out from the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council over cane price issue and harassment of BJP MLAs respectively.
While the BSP and others criticised the government for doling out packages to mill owners, BJP took on the state for the wrongful arrest and harassment of its MLAs in the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Raising the cane price issue, leader of the Opposition Naseemuddin Siddiqui said the government was giving packages to sugar mill owners even as they delayed crushing causing decay of the early variety of cane.
Cane farmer were not paid the dues of last year amounting to Rs 2,300 crores due to which some were committing suicide, he said.

BJP's Nepal Singh and RLD's Chaudhary Mushtaq Ahmed joined Siddiqui in demanding action in the issue.
Leader of the House Ahmad Hasan said of the 123 mills, 100 have started crushing and the rest would start in 15 days.

He alleged that Rs 5,700 crore dues were pending from the previous BSP regime and clarified that the farmers who committed suicide did not have any pending dues.
There would be no dues in the current crushing season, he said, and slammed the BSP for politicising the issue.
Dissatisfied with the reply, BSP, BJP and Congress members walked out of the House raising slogans.

BJP members also raised the issue of its two MLAs Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana being arrested in false cases connected to the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Ahmad Hasan responded saying action was taken against those involved in the riots, which, he said, was "sponsored and triggered in a planned manner".
At least 54 persons were killed and 47,000 displaced during the communal riots in Muzaffarnagar earlier this year.