Stormy start to UP assembly session

The year’s opening session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly started on a stormy note. As soon as governor BL Joshi entered the House to address the joint session, the entire opposition, including the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the BJP, stood up on the benches.Several members carried banners criticising the Mayawati government for its failure to check prices. Some banners attacked the state government over corruption and deteriorating law and order situation with unprintable slogans. Members also shouted slogans demanding dismissal of the state government.The governor, who was apparently prepared for the ruckus, left within five minutes after reading the opening and concluding lines of the speech.The governor’s address, which is traditionally penned by the state government, launched a frontal attack on the Centre for not co-operating with the state government and not providing adequate funds for development.The Uttar Pradesh government had sought financial assistance from the Centre for various developmental projects but did not get response. This had hampered the state’s development, Joshi said, adding he had also written to the UPA government for the trifurcation of Uttar Pradesh in order to ensure balanced development of all regions.A considerable part of the address was given to justify the construction of memorials, statues and parks dedicated to the memory of various Dalit icons.The governor’s address, however, did not mention any new schemes and projects for the current year and was mainly compilation of announcements made earlier by the state government.