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Stormy start to Lucknow session

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: The Budget session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly got off to a stormy start on Wednesday with the opposition Samajwadi Party disrupting the proceedings over the issue of demolition of the boundary wall of the under-construction Mohammad Ali Jauhar University at Rampur.

The Samajwadi members entered the well of the House when Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar disallowed discussion on the issue.

Since there was no Question Hour, the issue was raised straightaway by Mohammed Azam Khan of the SP, who alleged that he was attacked by unknown persons on June 23 when he opposed the demolition of the wall.

He said the police, instead of taking action against the culprits, filed a case against him.

Accusing the Bahujan Samaj Party regime of letting loose a reign of terror, Mr. Khan, who is the SP Deputy Leader in the House, said the move to stall construction of the university amounted to injustice to the Muslims.

He said 1,760 acres of land was allotted to the Custodian by the Government of India and blamed a Minister for telling the Rampur District Magistrate to withhold sanction.

Mr. Khan was supported by the Leader of the Opposition, Mulayam Singh. Describing the attack on his party colleague as a serious issue, Mr. Singh said there was a threat to Mr. Khan’s life. The former Chief Minister said when the SP member opposed the move the police filed a case against him.

Stating that the boundary wall of the university had been demolished, Mr. Singh urged the Speaker to direct the Rampur authorities to lodge an FIR against those responsible for the act of vandalism.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma maintained that Chief Minister, Mayawati was committed to the cause of the Muslims, adding that the voters had rejected the party (SP) with criminal links. He said the law would take its course.

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