On a supplementary question by BJP's Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti regarding providing land holdings of coarse sand for people belonging to Nishad, Kewat, Mallah and Mahua castes, leader of opposition and senior BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya asked if the state government which has already sent its recommendations for including them (castes) in the list of scheduled castes would get them reservation for getting pattas.
Farid Mehfooz Kidwai replying on behalf of the government said that the matter was pending in the Supreme Court and so was sub-judice following which the BSP staged a walkout alleging that the government was anti-backward classes.
BJP's Hukum Singh said these castes were traditionally dependant on trades associated with mining on the river bank and also led his party to a walkout.
The Congress members also followed charging the government of being anti-backward classes.
To another supplementary question on whether the government would lower VAT rates so as to give relief to consumers facing unprecedented price hike because of high diesel rates, BJP's Singh pointed out that high VAT rates was not in the interest of the state.
People are buying diesel from Haryana and Delhi because of disparity in VAT rates, he said.
Replying for the government, Minister of State for Planning, Farid Mehfooz Kidwai pointed out that VAT rate on diesel in UP was around 17 per cent while in other states like Chattishgarh and Madhya Pradesh it was as high as 23 per cent and as of now there was no intention to lower it.
Pramod Tewari (Congress) asked whether the state government would think on lowering it on the lines of Congress ruled states in people's interest and Pradip Mathur (Congress) alleged that government was anti-farmers following which his party staged a walkout.
