BJP MP seeks protection from the Lok Sabha Speaker

New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath today broke down in the Lok Sabha, imploring Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to provide protection to him ''before there was assassination of one more Parliamentarian in the country.'' The Lok Sabha MP told mediapersons that he had raised the issue to highlight how parliamentarians were sought to be framed in false cases in Uttar Pradesh.

''I raised the issue to ensure that there was no repetition of Sunil Mahto's assassination,'' he said, citing the recent brutal killing of the Jharkhand Mukti Moracha MP by naxal elements in Singhbum district of Jharkhand.

When reporters questioned him about his breaking down in Parliament, the BJP MP, the head of the famous Gorakhnath temple, said ''there are many hands to wipe away my tears but what will happen to thousands of people who have no such backing.'' He alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government, which had taken no action for over four years, had all of a sudden had become active to prevent him from campaigning during the coming elections to UP Assembly.

Earlier, the MP had raised the matter during Zero Hour, demanding protection, and alleging that he was being falsely implicated in cases by the Uttar Pradesh Government.

''If I am not provided protection, I will quit my membership of the House today,'' he said, bursting into tears.

The Yogi, who was detained recently on charge of breach of peace, said he had forsaken his family to take Sanyas for the good of the society, but he was being falsely projected as a criminal out of ''prejudice by the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government.'' The MP said he was detained at a place 20 km from Gorakhpur on January 26 on charge of breach of peace and lodged in jail for 11 days. ''When an appeal was filed in court against my arrest, several cooked up allegations were levelled against me and an FIR filed.'' As per the rule, a copy of the FIR should have been filed in the court within 24 hours but it was not done for seven days, he claimed, adding his workers were also being subjected to atrocities.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee interrupted the MP to say that he had called for a report from the Ministry. He said since the person against whom the allegation was levelled was not present in the House and the matter concerned another state, he could not intervene. He, however, assured the member that he would examine the matter. ''I will do my best,'' he said.

Earlier, Mr Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) wanted to know from the Speaker whether such treatment of an MP constituted breach of privilege.

Mr V K Malhotra (BJP) and Mr Prabhunath Singh (JD-U) also urged the Speaker to intervene as the MP had been ''shabbily treated'' by the Uttar Pradesh administration.

UNI