UP Assembly's Budget Session rocked by disruptions on first day

Lucknow, Feb 18 (IANS) The first day of the month-long budget session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly got off to a stormy start Wednesday, with the opposition members disrupting the address of the governor and forcing the adjournment of the house for the day.

Though an all-party meet was convened by the speaker to ensure that the proceedings of the house were conducted smoothly, the opposition members led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) stalled the proceedings when Governor Ram Naik began addressing the joint session of the state's bicameral legislature.

Angered at the turn of events, Naik expressed his displeasure and left in a huff. The speaker thereafter adjourned the house till 12.30 p.m. but when the disruptions continued, he adjourned it for the day.

The BJP raked up the issue of the verbal attacks by Urban Development Minister Mohammad Azam Khan on the governor and sought an explanation from the Akhilesh Yadav government on the matter.

Leader of Opposition in the assembly and senior BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya accused the government of failing completely in maintaining law and order in the state and curbing spiralling crime.