The Bahujan Samaj Party staged a walkout twice over issues related to power cuts in rural areas and non-payment of cane dues to farmers in the Assembly on Wednesday.
The walkout was staged during Question Hour even as the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav questioned the BJP leader Suresh Khanna’s claim of Central help to the State for the payment of cane price arrears.
The House was adjourned till Thursday without transacting any other business after paying tributes to the Minister of State for Urban Development and Minority Welfare, Chittaranjan Swaroop, who passed away on Wednesday.
As the Question Hour was conducted without any disturbances, unlike the previous two days, the BSP and the BJP expressed dissatisfaction over the reply given by the Government on a query on heavy power cuts.
Contesting the reply by Minister of State for Power Yasser Shah that electricity supply was ensured through roster system, the Leader of Opposition, Swami Prasad Maurya, said the Government’s claim of 16 to 22 hours of power supply was far-fetched. Mr. Maurya said the tubewells could not work. He added that even if five to six hours power is given, “but the supply should be uninterrupted”. Not convinced with the Minister’s reply, the BSP staged a walkout.
When the BJP leader, Suresh Kumar Khanna, expressed dissatisfaction over the Minister of State for Sugarcane Development, Ram Karan Arya’s reply that 63.53 per cent of cane dues had been paid, and said Rs. 6000 crore had been assured by the Centre, there was an intervention by the Chief Minister.
Mr. Yadav wanted to know to whom was the Rs.6000 crore given? When Mr. Khanna replied that the Centre has announced Rs. 6000 crore, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mohammad Azam Khan said the BJP will soon be known as party of announcements.
Mr. Maurya said despite several directives from the courts, the arrears have not been paid. Accusing the Government of misleading the cane farmers, the BSP staged a second walkout.
