Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Azam Khan’s "stolen" buffaloes found mention in the State assembly proceedings on Monday when leader of Opposition Swamy Prasad Maurya said that police in Uttar Pradesh was more apt in searching animals of ministers than controlling law and order.
Speaking on Motion of thanks on Governor’s address Maurya said that it was hilarious to know that the caretaker of minister’s farm house had lodged complaint about seven missing buffaloes but the police recovered nine. "This shows that the recovered buffaloes were not those that were stolen but police managed to get some buffaloes. How they did it we all know," Maurya said amid a peel of laughter.
Satish Mahana (BJP) even said that the recovered buffaloes were not the original ones. "Probably the minister wanted good quality buffaloes so he orchestrated this stolen drama and police came up with good variety of animal," he said and added: "Therefore, probably the minister compared his buffaloes with Queen Elizabeth." Azam Khan remained silent for few minutes. All of a sudden he stood up and pointing towards Swamy Prasad Maurya said that "if you stand near buffalo and photo appears in newspapers it would be difficult to differentiate between animal and a man."
Maurya was not ready to take the criticism hands down. He said: "Chief Minister had made you Parliamentary affairs minister thinking you are intelligent. If you cannot differentiate between animal and human being it is very unfortunate." The House also witnessed sharp exchange of words between RlD leader Thakur Dalbir Singh and Maurya. The issue was resolved after latter apologised The debate on motional of thanks was set on rolling by Anup Sanda who talked about development schemes Government had undertaken in the recent past. The detae will continue.
Security: Assembly witnessed an uproar when members demanded security for BJP MlA Suresh Rana and BSP member Gajendra Singh. While Rana, an accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots against whom UP Government had evoked NSA, had written a letter to Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey for security, the BSP MlA alleged that a phone call from a foreign country had threatened him and his family.
The Speaker said that he will look into the matter. Agra water: Azam Khan informed House that people in Agra would get clean drinking water from 2014. "We have completed a 144 MlD water treatment plant in Agra by bringing Ganga water which will be supplied to the people from this year," he said during Question Hour. Commissionary: Responding to another query Khan said his government was considering to enforce Commissioner police system in the state. "A committee under the Chief Secretary will be set up very soon for the purpose," he said, adding that 17 states of the country have commissioner system of policing and the results were good.
The Minister said the government was committed to constructing boundary walls of all the cremation grounds in the state. He said that Rs 300 crore have been sanctioned for the purpose in this fiscal.