For the first time since the formation of the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government, the winter session of the state assembly was adjourned without the Chief Minister's customary address. The abrupt conclusion came amid continuous disruptions led by Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress MLAs.
The five-day session, which began with high expectations, was marked by persistent protests from the opposition. On the first two days, CM Yogi Adityanath addressed the House despite the commotion. However, on the third day, as he was scheduled to speak again, opposition legislators intensified their protests, forcing Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana to adjourn proceedings till 11 a.m. on Thursday.
The session resumed on Thursday morning but soon descended into chaos as SP MLAs staged a sit-in, raising slogans and holding placards. Despite the protests, Finance Minister Suresh Khanna presented the supplementary budget proposal. With the opposition refusing to engage in discussions, the budget was passed unanimously without debate.
“The opposition came with the sole intention of disrupting the House,” Khanna remarked, accusing the SP and Congress of stalling crucial discussions, including those on the upcoming Maha Kumbh.
Adding fuel to the fire, opposition members protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks in the Rajya Sabha, which they termed disrespectful toward Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Shah had stated, "It has become a fashion to repeatedly invoke Ambedkar's name... Had you taken God’s name as often, you would have attained heaven for seven lives." This comment triggered demands from the opposition for Shah’s resignation.
During the protests, Speaker Mahana admonished SP legislators for holding an inverted portrait of Ambedkar, questioning their sincerity toward respecting the Dalit icon. “If you cannot even hold Baba Saheb’s photo straight, what respect will you show him?” he asked.
With no end to the disruptions in sight, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna urged the Speaker to adjourn the session indefinitely.
