UP budget session opens on stormy note, BSP creates ruckus

Wearing blue colour caps and carrying anti-government placards and banners, the BSP members rushed to the well of the House as soon as Joshi began his address to the joint sitting of the Assembly and the Council to mark the start of the Budget session. The BSP MLAs were led by leader of Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya.

Some BSP members jumped on to the reporters' table and also threw paper balls.

Shouting 'Governor go back', the BSP members alleged that transfers had become a trade in the state after the Samajwadi government came to power in March and that law and order situation had deteriorated. They demanded the dismissal of the Akhilesh Yadav government which led to angry exchanges with the ruling Samajwadi members.

House marshals tried to pacify both sides but the rival MLAs continued to shout at each other. Some BSP MLAs climbed onto chairs while some came close to the Speaker's chair.

Congress members were seen holding banners while those from the BJP stood from their seats.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav sat through calmly during the ruckus. The House was later adjourned till 12.30 PM by the Speaker.

Amidst the commotion, Governor Joshi read the starting and conclusive part of his address and left the house.

Joshi slammed the five-year rule of BSP before SP came to power as "jungle raj" unparallelled in the history of the country when the people got nothing but stones, statues and memorials. He said the new government has formulated an agenda of development for the state.

"This state has witnessed corruption, atrocities on innocent people and jungle raj unparallelled in the country's history during the last five years.

The people got nothing accept stones statues and memorials. Owing to political degradation, several incidents took place which brought shame to the state...My government has formulated the agenda of development to take the state ahead on the path of progress in place of the plundering rampant in the last five years", Joshi said.