The Budget session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly begins on Wednesday with Governor Ram Naik’s address to the joint sitting of both the Houses.
The session comes close on the heels of the ongoing war of words between the Samajwadi Party Government and Raj Bhavan over issues ranging from law and order and education.
The rift between Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohammad Azam Khan and Mr Naik has been a contributory factor.
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The session is expected to be stormy with the Bahujan Samaj Party, the principal Opposition party, deciding to raise the issue of the land belonging to Jauhar Research Foundation in Rampur given on lease to Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust at a throwaway price of Rs. 100. This decision was taken at the meeting of the BSP Legislature Party on Tuesday. Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Swami Prasad Maurya told reporters that the allotment of land to the Trust is illegal.
Mr. Maurya said the pathetic law and order and crime situation in the State, anarchy in officialdom, apathy towards swine flu, illegal mining with close kin of a Minister involved in the trade and the problems of the sugarcane farmers are the other issues which would be highlighted by the BSP in the House.
He said mill owners are yet to pay the dues to sugarcane farmers.
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The Opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, are determined to corner the Government on the law and order and crime issues. The sensational dacoity of Rs.12 crore from a Tanishq showroom in Saharanpur on Sunday, which led to the SSP’s suspension, and the brutal murder of a law student in Lucknow recently are the latest instances of the police’s failure to control crime.
In a bid to prepare the party legislators for the Budget session, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav presided over the meeting of SP Legislature Party on Monday.
The legislators were asked to be present in the House and the Ministers have been directed to come prepared on subjects related to their departments. Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey has called an all party meeting on Wednesday to ensure smooth conduct of the proceedings. The meeting of the BJP Legislature Party will also be held on Wednesday to outline the party’s strategy.