Lucknow, Sep 16 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh assembly was adjourned till Wednesday after the opposition slammed the Samajwadi Party government over the Muzaffarnagar communal riots.
As soon as the first day of the monsoon session began, angry legislators of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) moved towards the speaker’s podium raising anti-government slogans.
Wearing caps with slogans printed on them and carrying banners, the legislators said the state government had completely failed to protect the people.
When his appeals for calm went unheeded, Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey adjourned the house, first for 15 minutes and then for over an hour.
But when the proceedings resumed in the afternoon, the commotion continued and the chair announced adjournment of the house till Wednesday. Tuesday is a holiday on account of Vishwakarma Puja.
Talking to reporters, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohammad Azam Khan refuted reports that the government was contemplating withdrawing the National Security Act (NSA) slapped against some of the accused.
He added that stringent action would be taken against all those involved in the violence.
The minister also took a dig at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for visiting Muzaffarnagar.
“They have gone to Muzaffarnagar… It is good but they should be equally concerned for other places (too that saw communal clashes). (They) should go to Faizabad, Bareilly and Mathura too,” he said.