Pandemonium today prevailed in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly as opposition parties sought to corner the Akhilesh Yadav government over several issues, prompting the Speaker to order the eviction of the protesting legislators.
Legislators from BSP, BJP, RLD, Apna Dal jumped into the Well of the House with placards and banners even before the Assembly proceedings started.
BSP members donning caps with slogans "Daliton par atyachar nahi chalega" (atrocities on Dalits will not be tolerated) and banners highlighting the issue of cane dues protested against the government.
BJP members raised the issues of law and order, electricity, women security etc.
RLD members also pitched in raising the issue of non-payment of cane dues while Peace Party member Ayub was seen with the banner "Adityanath ke goondon ko giraftar karo" (arrest goons of Adityanath).
Amidst the din, Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey tried to pacify the members to return to their seats for Question Hour, but his attempt went in vain.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohd Azam Khan said strict action should be taken against the legislators, whom he accused of committing contempt of the House by jumping into the Well even before the start of the proceedings and arrival of the Speaker.
"They are trying to communalise things and vitiate the atmosphere of the state. BSP men are doing all this for cheap media publicity. Instead of pointing banners to us, they are showing it to media, which showed their intentions," he said.
On his demand, a resolution was passed with voice vote to remove the agitating legislators from the House following which the Speaker asked the marshals to evict them.
BJP, Congress and BSP MLAs jostled with other legislators and continued to raise slogans while marshals tried to remove them. While some resisted the marshals, others voluntarily went outside the House.
Some BSP MLAs were seen using force while resisting the marshals.
"It has never happened in the House. Some legislators used force with marshals," Khan charged.
The Speaker said he was forced to take strict action.
"It was a strict decision but necessary. The action (of MLAs) against marshals should be condemned. Both BSP and BJP are competing with each other in creating nuisance for cheap publicity," Khan said.
The agitated MLAs after being removed from the House sat on dharna in the gallery outside.
Later, Speaker continued Question Hour but as opposition leaders were not present he started agenda of Zero hour.
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Later, Azam Khan moved a resolution to call back the protesting legislators stating "the House proceedings do not look good without them".
Though Congress members conceded, BSP, BJP and other parties continued sloganeering outside the House.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav meanwhile presented supplementary grant of over Rs 25,000 crore for the financial year 2016-17.
After completing the agenda, Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey adjourned the House for the day.
