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Special session: UP assembly, council adopt censure motion against SP, Congress, other INDIA bloc partners
Minister for finance and parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna moved the motion in the assembly in the presence of chief minister Yogi Adityanath
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Both Houses of the Uttar Pradesh legislature adopted a censure motion against the Opposition – the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and all parties with the INDI alliance – on Thursday for ‘causing obstructions’ in amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament and for their ‘anti-women empowerment’ conduct. The Vidhan Sabha was adjourned sine die after the motion was adopted during the day-long special session on women’s empowerment.
Minister for finance and parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna moved the motion in the House in the presence of chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Thereafter, speaker Satish Mahana put the motion to vote and the same was adopted by a voice vote.
In the Vidhan Parishad (legislative council), deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also moved a similar motion and it was adopted by a voice vote there too.
In the assembly, Khanna initially referred to the debate on women’s empowerment that began at 11am following a resolution moved by him and said 33 members had participated in the discussions.
Listing the Yogi Adityanath government’s initiatives for the welfare and security of women, Khanna said the state government had adopted a zero tolerance policy against crime.
He also spoke about the background that led to the NDA government moving the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2026 in Parliament to fast-track women’s reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies and expand the strength of Lok Sabha.
Accusing the Opposition of spreading confusion on the issue, he said Samajwadi Party members had strongly opposed the women’s reservation bill in Parliament in 2010 too.
Summing up his address, Khanna began reading out the censure motion. Soon, leader of the opposition Mata Prasad Pandey rose from his seat to lodge his protest. Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ was also seen rising from her seat to lodge a protest. Samajwadi Party members entered the well of the House with placards and raised slogans, causing pandemonium in the house. Speaker Satish Mahana soon put the motion to vote and declared that the same was adopted.
“We are fully committed to strong political participation of women and will continue to oppose and condemn those who oppose women empowerment till the women (Nari Shakti) do not get their constitutional right in the policy formulation. This House condemns the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and all the parties of the INDI alliance for their anti-women empowerment conduct and obstructing the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament of India moved with a view of giving the women security, honour and self reliance,” read the motion roughly translated from Hindi.
