Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly witnessed an uproarious scene on the third day of the ongoing budget session on Wednesday, as Leader of Opposition Akhilesh Yadav and Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya indulged in a verbal spat. It all started during a debate on a motion of thanks to the Governor's speech. After Akhilesh Yadav finished his address, it was the turn of Keshav Prasad Maurya who while speaking took a jibe at Akhilesh for the work done during the SP government. At this Akhilesh lost his cool which led to an angry exchange of words.
The incident occurred after Yadav's speech, in which he detailed works done by the Samajwadi Party governments of the past, including major infrastructural projects undertaken and completed under SP's rule. The situation took a turn, however, as Maurya offered a rebuttal, and took a swipe at SP, saying 'the cycle' was facing a puncture, referring to the party's electoral symbol.
"Akhilesh predicted in 2014 that BJP will be decimated but it returned with a majority. First 5 years out, then out again for 5 years. You will not get a chance for the upcoming 25 years. The cycle is punctured, get it repaired," he said, causing a furor in the assembly. Maurya did not hold back, going further and inquiring whether 'all the work' he had done was through selling 'Saifai's land', pointing towards the issue surrounding land acquisition for projects in Saifai - the native village of Akhilesh Yadav and birthplace of Samajwadi party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav in Etawah district.
Also read: Shivpal Yadav shoots letter to UP assembly speaker for altering his seating arrangements
"Are you getting the work done with your father's money?" was the response from a seemingly infuriated Yadav, as the House broke into chaos, sloganeering, and was ultimately handled by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The CM slammed the Opposition, accusing it of making untoward remarks. "For more than an hour, the entire House listened to the Leader of the Opposition with rapt attention, likewise the Deputy Chief Minister of the government should be listened to, instead of making a running commentary. Such remarks are not right for a respected leader. Every government gets the development work done, it has the right to highlight that achievement.
But the language used in the house for the Deputy Chief Minister is not dignified," Adityanath observed. He further noted that consensus and dissent were 'the strengths of our democracy. "There were many points made by the Leader of the Opposition on which we differ but we heard him patiently but this was not followed by the opposition" he also said.
