Din in House as Yogi calls SP ‘terror group’

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, February 12

Samajwadi Party MLAs entered the well of the House stridently protesting against CM Yogi Adityanath allegedly describing the party a “terrorist organisation steeped in corruption and dynastic rule.” As soon as Zero Hour began, Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary wanted all business to be set aside and the CM to apologise for his remark.

Recalling the contribution of socialists to the freedom movement, he said “Samajwadi” was a part of the Constitution and socialist leaders from Bhagat Singh to Jai Prakash Narayan, Acharya Narendra Dev and Ram Manohar Lohia had significantly contributed to the freedom struggle.

Questioning the release of dreaded terrorist in Kandahar under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and the role of leaders like Sadhvi Pragya in the Malegaon blast, Choudhary questioned the BJP government’s anti-terror credentials.

On Yogi’s dynastic rule charge, he pointed out that the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat was represented by Mahant Digvijay Nath, then his successor Mahant Avaidya Nath and now his successor Yogi Adityanath.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna said that there was no point discussing the issue. “What the Leader of the Opposition is mentioning appeared in the media. As of now, we do not even know its authenticity. The leader of the House is not present to defend himself. Making such grave and unsubstantiated charges against him inside the House is unfair.”

Livid, Samajwadi Party MLAs entered the well of the House and raised anti—Yogi slogans, leading to repeated adjournments.