UP Assembly, Council proceedings disrupted as Oppn seeks to corner govt over Deoria case

Both Houses of Uttar Pradesh legislature saw noisy scenes today with Opposition parties seeking to corner the government over the Deoria shelter home case and the law and order situation leading to adjournments.

As the state Assembly met for the day, Samajwadi Party and Congress members were up on their feet demanding immediate discussion on the Deoria shelter home issue. They accused the government of failing to protect women while also faring poorly overall on the law and order front.

SP and Congress members trooped into the Well of the House raising slogans. BSP members lent support by standing at their places.

 

Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Choudhury (SP) said the Deoria shelter home case was of utmost importance and needed to be immediately discussed.

"An international racket was underway in shelter homes involving sexual exploitation of girls. Such cases were found in Deoria, Pratapgarh and Banaras shelter homes. We demand a discussion on the issue and probe by a Supreme Court judge. IAS and IPS officers were involved in the case," he alleged while speaking to reporters.

He said morality demanded that those in power should step down.

"The operator of the shelter home (in Deoria) was seen dancing with BJP leaders," he alleged. BSP leader Lalji Verma also sought a judicial probe in the Deoria shelter home case.

Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit's pleas urging protesting members to take their seats went unheeded and the House was adjourned for 30 minutes initially and later for the entire Question Hour.

When the House reassembled for the Zero Hour, Congress and SP members continued to shout slogans against the government in the presence of the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The agenda for the day was taken up amid sloganeering and the House was later adjourned for the day at 12.55 pm.

The scene was no different in the Legislative Council where the Leader of the House Dinesh Sharma tabled supplementary budget for the financial year 2018-19 amidst din.

Speaking to reporters, Leader of Opposition in Council Ahmed Hasan (SP) said, "The BJP government in UP has completely failed on the law and order front....a number of public welfare schemes of the previous SP government have been stopped by them".