UP assembly adjourned sine die amid oppn uproar; supplementary budget passed

Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly was abruptly adjourned sine die on Thursday amid uproar by opposition members and protests in the well of the House over various issues.

As soon as the House met for the day, Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary stood up, alleging that people were being denied their Constitutional right of holding protests and 'dharnas'.

Referring to Samajwadi Party protest against the amended citizenship law on Thursday, Chaudhary said this is the first time that any government is thwarting a protest in such a manner and cited state's DGP OP Singh statement where he said all protests will be crushed.

Soon after, SP and Congress members barged into the well of the house raising slogans and creating a din.

Parliamentary Affairs minister Suresh Khanna was heard saying that Opposition was bereft of issues and was not interested in any debate.

Khanna also pulled up the Opposition, saying they have done nothing for the people and that is why they have been rejected by the electorate.

"They need to resign and sit at home as their behaviour in the house has been most irresponsible. They are trying to set the state on fire. Since opposition members are not interested in the peaceful conduct of the proceedings, it will be better to have the House adjourned sine die," Khanna said.

The opposition members kept protesting all along.

Amid continued sloganeering, Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit completed with minutes the business on the agenda that included the passage by voice vote of the second supplementary demands tabled on Tuesday, vote on account and certain bills.

The Speaker then took the sense of the House and with a majority of the members supporting the resolution, adjourned the proceedings sine die.

The state Assembly was otherwise likely to be adjourned sine die on Friday.

In the Legislative Council, the Question Hour was disrupted following protests by Samajwadi Party members over prohibitory order notices served to their leaders in view of the proposed programme against the amended Citizenship Act.

Leader of Opposition Ahmed Hasan said he has been served notice by a sub-inspector level officer on Wednesday, warning him against taking part in the protest and alleged that Opposition leaders and workers were being pressured.

SP leaders barged into the well of the House leading to the adjournemnt of the proceedings first for 15 minutes and then till 12 noon.

When the House reassembled, SP pressed for a reply from the Leader of the House on the "high handedness of the government", failing which they once again were up on their feet, leading to the adjournment till 1.30 pm.

Speaking to newspersons after the Assembly was adjourned sine die, leaders of SP, BSP and Congress alleged that for the first time, all business on the agenda including important issues like passage of the supplementary demands, have been completed in hardly half hour during the Question Hour.

"The House has been conducted in a wrongful manner. The SP wanted to raise important issues, but the government wanted to run away from giving answer," Chaudhary said.

BSP's Lalji Verma said though the government says that the Opposition was not interested in House proceedings, the reality is exactly the opposite.

He alleged that the government was taking the state on the path of dictatorship from democracy.

Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Misra said that it was decided in the Business Advisory meeting of the House that proceedings will continue till December 20 but it was curtailed.