MLAs thrown out by marshals in UP

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, August 23

In an unprecedented move, UP Vidhan Sabha Speaker MP Pandey today ordered eviction of protesting Opposition members who were then physically turned out by the marshal guards on duty.

The Speaker passed a resolution by voice vote for the eviction of the BJP, BSP and Congress legislators. It was also perhaps for the first time that despite noisy scenes and evictions, the House was not adjourned and the question hour was held in the absence of the Opposition. The state government chose to give statements on various questions, claiming the issues were of public interest.

Trouble started brewing before the house assembled this morning when the BJP, BSP, Congress, RLD and Apna Dal legislators barged into the well of the House even before the arrival of the Speaker. The BSP legislators wore blue caps with anti-government slogans and carried placards and banners raising a range of issues from Bulandshahr rape case to non-payment of cane dues, prevailing power crisis and increasing atrocities on Muslims and Dalits.

Terming barging into the well even before the House had been convened and the Speaker took his seat as “unprecedented”, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan sought stern action against the MLAs. The drama continued for 90 minutes till the House was finally adjourned for the day, but not before CM Akhilesh Yadav passed supplementary budget.