Dy CM's speech sparks furore, SP MLA debarred

SP members created a ruckus over deputy CM Pathak's reply on working of health department and death of infants in Jhansi hospital fire during zero hour

- HT Correspondent

LUCKNOW: Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak's speech sparked a heated exchange of barbs between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) members in the legislative assembly, leading to the adjournment of the ongoing winter session's proceedings for more than an hour on Wednesday.

The SP MLAs staged a walkout but soon returned and rushed into the well of the house, alleging the use of unparliamentary language against the leader of the opposition and some party MLAs. They created a ruckus and raised slogans against Pathak.

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana urged the SP MLAs to return to their seats and desist from raising unparliamentary slogans. When the SP MLAs did not do so, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna registered a protest, stating that they were raising objectionable slogans and it would not be tolerated. Mahana again warned the SP MLAs, urging them not to use unparliamentary language. When the SP MLAs continued raising slogans, he directed them to return to their seats.

The Speaker warned SP MLA from Sardhana, Atul Pradhan, against using objectionable language. When Pradhan continued to raise slogans, the Speaker announced that Pradhan had been debarred from attending the rest of the winter session of the assembly.

The Marshals carried Pradhan out of the house, and Mahana adjourned the proceedings for over an hour. The SP MLAs sat on dharna in the well of the house.

Earlier, moving the adjournment motion, SP MLA Ragini Sonkar alleged that health facilities in the state had deteriorated.