UP assembly witnesses uproar over CAA

Uttar Pradesh assembly on Thursday witnessed noisy scenes after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna accused the Opposition of creating anarchy in the state by supporting anti-CAA protesters.

Khanna made the allegation during a heated exchange with Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary, who earlier said the minister had ignored a question raised by him on the Budget tabled in the House on February 18.

Khanna, who is also the finance minister, had earlier finished his reply to the debate on the 2020-2021 budget.

With Chaudhary accusing Khanna of ignoring his question, the minister took a dig at him over the Opposition leader's earlier statement outside the House that those sitting on anti-CAA dharna would be given pension.

This triggered a heated exchange between Khanna and Chaudhary with the later reiterating that the pension is given to patriots.

"Those struggling for restoration of democracy are given pension. We are also getting it as 'loktantra senanis' (those arrested during emergency)," Chaudhary said.

Khanna at this asked what was there to oppose in the CAA.

"The SP, BSP and Congress are trying to create anarchy in the state," he asserted.

The minister's remark triggered an uproar in the House with the Opposition members going on their feet and the ruling party members seen trying to shout them down.

Chaudhary earlier accused the ruling party of pursuing the politics of dividing the society on Hindu-Muslim lines.