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U.P. winter session: Dy CM Pathak’s speech sparks furore, SP MLA debarred
SP members created a ruckus over deputy CM Pathak’s reply on workings of health department and death of infants in Jhansi hospital fire
Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak’s speech sparked heated exchange of barbs between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) members in the UP legislative assembly leading to the adjournment of the ongoing winter session’s proceedings for more than an hour on Wednesday.
The SP MLAs staged a walkout but soon returned and rushed into the well of the house alleging use of unparliamentary language against the leader of the opposition and some party MLAs. They created a ruckus and raised slogans against Pathak.
Uttar Pradesh assembly speaker Satish Mahana urged the SP MLAs to return to their seats and desist from raising unparliamentary slogans. When the SP MLAs did not do so, parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna registered protest stating that they were raising objectionable slogans and it will not be tolerated.
Mahana again warned the SP MLAs urging them to not use unparliamentary language. When the SP MLAs continued raising slogans, he directed them to return to their seats.
The speaker warned SP MLA from Sardhana Atul Pradhan against using objectionable language. When Pradhan continued to raise slogan, the speaker announced that Pradhan had been debarred from attending the rest of the winter session of the assembly.
The Marshals carried Pradhan out of the house and Mahana adjourned the proceedings for over one hour. The SP MLAs sat on dharna in the well of the house.
Earlier, moving the adjournment motion, SP MLA Ragini Sonkar alleged that health facilities in the state had deteriorated. “Ten infants died recently in a fire incident in Jhansi medical college. Out of the 609 hospitals in the state, 300 are running without fire NOC. Even the hospitals in Lucknow are running in violation of the fire safety norms,” she said.
SP MLAs Atul Pradhan and Durga Prasad Yadav alleged that substandard medicines were supplied to hospitals and they were facing shortage of doctors. “There is a huge rush of patients in government hospitals and patients are not getting required medical care,” they alleged.
Countering the allegations, deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, who also holds health portfolio, launched a scathing attack on the SP MLAs stating that before moving the motion, they should read the documents carefully.
“The MLAs should know that emergency facility is not provided in primary health centres but in community health centres and district hospitals. “Instead of providing medical care to patients, the SP MLAs conspire to harass them,” Pathak said.
“The SP leaders are misleading people. They are not concerned about the problems of the common man but about their politics. They raise the issue to draw the attention of the media. The motion also has the signature of Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey who is a senior member of the house,” he added.
“The SP MLAs also raised the issue of Gorakhpur AIIMS that is run by central government. Samajwadi Party leaders come to the Vidhan Sabha only to relieve their sore throat. They do not have any issue. I will ensure that Vicks is available in the Vidhan Bhawan dispensary,” Pathak said.
When the SP MLAs registered protest, the deputy CM said, “The allegations of the opposition hit like a spear and I am not here to use rubber bullets but give an apt reply to their charges. Health facilities in the state have improved under the BJP government and patients are getting better treatment in hospitals.”
“The opposition should use decent language in the house. They have been targeting the PM, the CM and ministers by using objectionable language. Without any proof, they are making corruption charges against the minister (referring to himself). He has come from student politics and works among the people. He respects all the members and leaders irrespective of the political party. The opposition’s language against the leaders of NDA ally is also obnoxious,” Pathak said.
“The leader of the opposition is respected by all and even by my family members,” he said. Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey said, “The deputy CM tries to agitate the opposition. The opposition members are not here to please the government but to expose its working. The deputy CM should seek apology from the house over his statement.”
Speaker Satish Mahana said, “If the opposition seeks apology over the unparliamentary language against the deputy CM, I will urge the Deputy CM to reciprocate as well. What ever happened in the house today was not good and I did not like it,” Mahana said and added that he sought apology from all members.
