The issue of non-payment of cane dues to farmers today rocked proceedings of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly with BJP members staging a walk out and Congress, BSP and RLD members storming to the well of the House to register their protest.
During the question hour, minister Ram Karan Arya informed the House that Rs 7,418 crore was pending on the Government as cane dues of farmers and private sugar mills and the state government was serious in clearing the dues at the earliest.
"About 61 per cent dues of farmers have been cleared and for the rest of the payment government has adopted stern attitude," the minister said, adding, that 57 FIRs have been lodged against sugar mill operators and recovery certificates have been issued against 36 mills.
However, BJP leader Satish Mahana said he was not satisfied with the answer and alleged that government was not serious on the issue of farmers and staged a walkout with other party members.
Meanwhile, Congress members stormed into the well of the House asking the specific time-frame on which the dues would be cleared.
They were joined by the RLD members amid anti-government sloganeering.
When Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey assured that a discussion would be held on the topic to clear doubts of the members, they pacified.
However, Leader of the Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya stood and asked the government whether it could assure that the dues would be cleared by July 18 till the House would remain in progress.
Seeking reply on this question, the BSP members stormed into the well.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohd Azam Khan said the opposition did not want to hear reply of the minister as they would either be satisfied with it or get "ashamed" of their act. He said that their (opposition) act was only to make news and such an attitude was "not good".
While, BSP members continued to shout in the well, the Speaker announced end of the question hour.
