MLAs were dragged out of the House by BSP goons: SP

The SP leader alleged the action was ordered by a top official. He asked the Speaker to explain as to who permitted these persons to enter the Assembly hall because the incident amounted to contempt of the legislature and also the Speaker.

However,an official of the Assembly secretariat denied Yadav’s charges and said the watch and ward staff of the Assembly,led by the House marshal,were assisted by the plainclothes security men and had entered the Assembly hall with the permission of the Speaker.

Yadav said since the government had no moral courage to face the debate on the “UP Local Self Government (second amendment) Bill 2011”,it ensured adjournment of the House although the business advisory committee of the Assembly had approved the agenda till March 1.

He said the SP will launch an agitation for dislodging the BSP government. The party will seek the support of other Opposition parties in its three-day campaign against the state government which will be launched on March 7.

Condemning the police lathicharge on SP workers on the Vidhan Sabha Marg last night,Yadav said those responsible for the “brutal lathicharge” would be held accountable by the people during the 2012 Assembly elections. On Tuesday,SP workers held demonstrations at district headquarters and burnt the effigies of Chief Minister Mayawati.

The Rashtriya Lok Dal,whose members were also evicted from the House,accused the government of adopting an “undemocratic attitude” and threatened to launch an agitation in the first week of March.

State RLD president Baba Hardev Singh said their protest will be not only be against the passing of the UP Urban Local Self Government Law (Second Amendment) Bill 2011 without discussion,but also the alleged firing on farmers in Greater Noida who were demanding higher compensation for their land.

Congmen torch bus,lathicharged

Protesting against the passage of the Bill providing for indirect election of mayors and presidents of municipal bodies,Congress workers torched a government bus and indulged in brick-batting on police in Etah. The police arrested district Congress president Pramod Gupta and two others for rioting. However,state Congress spokesman Subodh Srivastava claimed the party workers were staging the protest peacefully and burning copies of the Bill and an effigy of the chief minister when the police cane-charged them. Etah SP (City) Raju Babu Singh said the police had to use force when the Congressmen torched a bus and damaged other vehicles.