Stormy start to UP budget session; Opp issueless: Govt
SP protests over Kanpur deaths; UP fear-free, says Governor
5 min read
The Samajwadi Party members’ protest, led by Leader of Opposition Akhilesh Yadav, was also backed by RLD, Congress and BSP members who stood in their place as the Governor read out the speech. RLD members were heard raising slogans demanding payment of sugarcane dues to farmers. The Budget session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly began on a stormy note on Monday with opposition Samajwadi Party members trying to disrupt Governor Anandiben Patel’s address to the joint session of the House by protesting over the death of a mother-daughter duo during an anti-encroachment drive in Kanpur Dehat, law and order among others.
Amid rancorous hooting, clapping and chanting of “Rajyapal wapas jao” (Go back Governor) slogan and “Pradesh me bulldozer ka aatankwad” (bulldozer-terrorism in the state) by SP legislators in the well of the House, Governor Patel continued her speech that lasted a little over an hour.
The Samajwadi Party members’ protest, led by Leader of Opposition Akhilesh Yadav, was also backed by RLD, Congress and BSP members who stood in their place as the Governor read out the speech. RLD members were heard raising slogans demanding payment of sugarcane dues to farmers.
In her speech, which she began by offering tribute to SP patriarch and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and former Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, Patel said the UP government was “fulfilling the aspirations of people and was determined for progress and welfare of all with all-around development of all the sections of the society”.
Stating that the Yogi Adityanath-led government was following the “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas Aur Sabka Prayas” mantra of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Governor said: “All the segments of the society, especially women, girls, businessmen and weaker sections, have a strong sense of security because of effective and concrete action by police.”
She said Uttar Pradesh has seen a steady decline in criminal cases and read out some data.
The state government has identified 847 encroachers as land mafia in the state and 196 of them are in jail now, she said, adding four anti-land mafia task forces have been constituted, and more than 70,000 hectare in the state has been made free of encroachment so far, she said. “Compared to 2016, in 2022, Uttar Pradesh has registered 80.31 per cent drop in dacoity cases, 61.51 per cent drop in robbery, 32.45 per cent drop in murder cases, 51.65 per cent drop in riots, 43.18 per cent drop in kidnappings for ransom and 21.75 per cent drop in rape cases,” said the Governor, adding that because of a “crime-free, fear-free and injustice-free environment in the state, large scale investment has poured in”.
Referring to the recent Global Investors Summit and G20 events in the state, Patel said, “It will be an excellent chance for Uttar Pradesh to showcase its development, infrastructure, culture and heritage to the rest of the world by hosting G20 meetings.”
She said that the state contributes more than 8 per cent to the National Gross Domestic Product and called Uttar Pradesh “India’s growth engine”. “India’s growth engine, Uttar Pradesh, is marching ahead to become the country’s second-largest economy,” she added.
The Governor said that during the recently concluded investors’ summit, 19,058 investment proposals, worth more than Rs 33.50 lakh crore, were received, which are likely to create more than 94 lakh employment opportunities.
She spoke about how the state government implemented 600 reforms under “Business Reform Action Plan” to attract investments.
Stating that more than 24.87 crore tourists, including 4.10 lakh foreigners, visited Uttar Pradesh from January 2022 to October, she said there has been a four to five- fold rise in the number of devotees visiting Kashi Vishwanath Dham since its expansion and beautification.
In view of a possible increase in the number of devotees and tourists to Ayodhya, works related to beautification, and widening of roads and public amenities are being carried out there.
She said that four Teerth Vikas Parishads — Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, Mathura; Shri Vindhyadham Teerth Vikas Parishad, Mirzapur; Shri Chitrakoot Dham Teerth Vikas Parishad, Chitrakoot; and Shri Naimisharanya Dham Teerth Vikas Parishad, Sitapur have been formed to promote spiritual tourism.
While treasury benches welcomed the speech by thumping the desk, Opposition members threw barbs like “dictatorship”. Leader of Opposition Akhilesh Yadav was seen carrying a placard that demanded a “caste census” and equal rights for all.
Earlier in the day, SP MLAs, led by Shivpal Singh Yadav, staged a dharna on the Assembly premises, raising various issues, including that of farmers and law and order.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya termed the protest an attempt to “vitiate” the atmosphere and said the opposition party is left with no valid issue to raise.
“The state is progressing on the path of development. The SP does not have any issue and is trying to divert the attention of people towards them and vitiate the atmosphere,” he said. “Whatever issues they have, they should come to the House and discuss. The government is ready to reply to them.”
When asked about the demonstration, Maurya said it does not matter if Shivpal or Akhilesh or their entire family sit on dharna as “we have our target of development and we are focusing on it.”
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