The BJP was at the receiving end in the U.P. Assembly on Tuesday after Leader of the Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya of the BSP and the Congress joined hands with the Treasury Benches to accuse the party of insulting the national song, “Vande Mataram”. The charge was vehemently denied by the BJP even as Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ambika Chaudhary and Mr. Maurya pressed for a Speaker’s ruling on the issue.
Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey reserved his ruling, saying he would get the issue examined before passing a verdict.On the first day of the Budget session on June 19, BJP MLAs blocked the Speaker’s entry.Stating that the Speaker came through another door to reach the podium as the BJP members stood at the main entrance, Mr. Chaudhary alleged that the BJP had boycotted “Vande Mataram”.
Mr. Chaudhary said the rendition of the national song on the commencement of a new Assembly session started on October 28, 1992 during the third sitting of the 11th Vidhan Sabha when Kesari Nath Tripathi was the Speaker.The Minister said the conduct of the members amounted to lowering the prestige of “Vande Mataram”. Urging the Speaker to pass a ruling on the issue, Mr. Chaudhary said strict action should be taken so that such incidents did not recur.
The charges were denied by Satish Mahana, the Deputy Leader of the BJP Legislature Party, who said the thought of lowering the prestige of the Chair never arose. He added that there are precedents when the Speaker’s entry in the Assembly had been prevented.
