Gov addresses UP Budget session amidst pandemonium

Lucknow, Feb 8: The Budget session of the Uttar Pradesh legislature today began on a noisy note with the main Opposition Samajwadi Party displaying black flags and balloons to the Governor during his customary address.

Governor T V Rajeswar was able to read the first and the last line of his address amidst pandemonium.

As soon as the Governor started reading his address to the joint session, SP members displayed black flags and hydrogen-filled balloons demanding the dismissal of the Mayawati government for its overall failure to run the state. While some of the balloons were released in the air, some were burst by the legislators to show their protest.

Chief Minister Mayawati left the House even as Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar adjourned the House proceedings till 1230 hrs.

Except for the BJP, members of all Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Dal displayed banners. Some of the SP legislators stood on the tables of assembly reporters (assembly staff).

Several black balloons were seen stuck on the ceiling of the assembly hall. This is for the first time that black balloons were brought inside the House.

Most of the banners displayed by the SP, Congress and RLD members pertained to the drought in Bundelkhand region of the state, implementation of VAT regime, death of a student in police firing in Etawah and the alleged illegal detention of an innocent man for his involvement in a plot to assassinate the CM.

Terming the presence of black balloons inside the House as a major security breach, the assembly security staff would hold a high level meeting to avoid any such incidents in the future.

Incidentally, it was for the first time since May, 2007, when the BSP took over power in the state, that Ms Mayawati and former chief minister and Leader of the Opposition Mulayam Singh Yadav faced each other. They exchanged pleasantries.

UNI