The Uttar Pradesh Assembly was adjourned almost as soon as it was convened on Monday as the Opposition demanded a discussion on Sambhal under Section 311 of the House’s operations manual.
This comes a day after an all-party meeting was held to ensure that Vidhan Sabha proceedings be conducted smoothly.
The Samajwadi Party members were in a combative mood even before the Assembly session got underway. They sat on the steps of the Vidhan Sabha with placards that, among other issues, read that the riots in the state were a result of the complete failure of the BJP government.
Mata Prasad Pandey, leader of the Opposition requested Speaker, Satish Mahana, to permit a discussion on the violence in Sambhal and Bahraich.
Mahana, in turn, asked Pandey- who has also been a Speaker of the House earlier, to explain how such a discussion fell under Section 311. The said section allows for the suspension of the planned business of the House to discuss urgent issues.
“You have occupied this chair..we have learnt a lot from you…Please explain how this discussion can be conducted”, Mahana asked.
Pandey in turn said that since it was an important matter, the normal business of the House be set aside for the said discussion.
Aradhna Misra, leader of the Congress, also joined Pandey in requesting the Speaker that the discussion be allowed since it was an important issue.
Mahana retorted that all issues raised in the Vidhan Sabha were important and that the body did not have the time to entertain any frivolous issues.
Soon, the House was drowned in chants of ‘Kisan Virdohi yeh Sarkar nahin chalegi’ and ‘Loktantra Virodhi yeh Sarkar nahn chalegi’ (this anti-farmer and anti-democracy government cannot go on).
Chants of law and order being ‘dhwast’ (collapsed) in the state while ‘Baba’ was ‘mast’ (carefree) also went up as Opposition members filed into the well of the House.
The state’s finance minister, Sureh Khanna got up to say that the government had established a ‘record’ in ensuring the rule of law and that the opposition had nothing better to do than raise commotion.
When Mahana’s assurances that he would give time for the discussion did not placate the shouting members, he adjourned the House.