Argument between UP minister, leader of oppn on CBI probe adjourns House

Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday when Rural Development Minister Mahendra Singh challenged Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury over a CBI probe, leading to a brief adjournment of the House. During the Question Hour, when the minister was answering to an assembly member, the leader of the opposition from the Samajwadi Party suddenly stood up and said, "When you (the minister) will be here (in the opposition), there will be a CBI probe and you will also go to jail."

Chowdhury did not say in what context he made the remark on the CBI probe. But his remark irked minister Singh, who challenged Chowdhury and used some words the Samajwadi Party members objected to. The heated exchange of words led to noisy scenes and SP members came into the Well and raised slogans against the state government.

The members did not pay heed to repeated requests by Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit to maintain decorum. He then adjourned the House for 15 minutes. But SP members continued to sit in the Well, forcing the speaker to increase the adjournment twice by 20 minutes till 12.20pm.

After barely 15 minutes of business, the Question Hour was washed out. When the House reassembled at 12.20pm, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said that the incident was unfortunate.

Minister Singh said he took back his words and expressed "his 'dukh' (pain)" for what he said. "I didn't mean to say those words. I respect the senior member, Chowdhury." Speaker Dixit said the "objectionable words" will not be part of the proceedings and requested Leader of Opposition Chowdhury to ask his party members to return to their seats.

BSP leader Lalji Verma insisted that minister Singh use the word "khed" (regret) instead of "dukh" for what he had said during the exchange with Chowdhury. The speaker said by expressing "dukh" one is pained and by expressing "the" the person pleases others.

Requesting SP members return to their seats from the Well, Khanna requested Chowdhury to help in the peaceful conduct of the proceedings of the House. Chowdhury said since the leader of the house (CM Yogi Adityanath), the speaker and the parliamentary minister felt the solution was just, he did not want to take the matter forward.