Urban Development minister Md Azam Khan took everyone, including Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey, by surprise when he questioned as to why Governor Ram Naik was sitting tight on the Urban local Body Bill for the last one year and a half and even querried whether he was protecting the BJP Mayors.
UP Nagar Nigam (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Assembly on March 26, 2015 amid BJP allegations that it was a direct assault on the powers of elected Mayors. Nine of the 14 mayors in UP Nagar Nigams are from BJP.
“The UP Vidhan Sabha had passed a Bill almost year and a half back curtailing the power of Mayors of Municipal Coporations. The Bill was meant to make Mayors accountable but the Governor is sitting tight on that Bill. Is he doing this to protect the corrupt BJP Mayors,” Khan said by way of quetioning as the Speaker could be heard saying that the House cannot discuss the Governor’s role.
Khan, in the presence of CM Akhilesh Yadav, said that if there were any irregularities in the Bill, then the Governor should have returned it or sought clarifications. “But by delaying the Bill, the Constitutional head of the state is not doing any justice and is promoting illegal acts of the Mayors,” the minister stressed.
Khan said that the Bill makes the Mayors answerable in cases of financial irregularities or any other lapses.
“When other people in local bodies are answerable to the people, why should the Mayors not be included in it,” he asked. “As most of the mayors are of a particular political party, hence they are opposing it and the Raj Bhawan too, is supporting them,” he alleged and even said that the Governor was protecting corrupt BJP Mayors.
Khan, who is in the habit of raking up controversy with his intermittent outburts against Governor Ram Naik, was opposed by BJP lawmakers who pointed out that an issue against the Governor can not be raised in the Assembly.
BJP’s Suresh Kumar Khanna opposed Khan’s statement, wondering how could the House debate the conduct of a Governor. He also asked the Chair to expunge the remarks made against the Governor by the minister.
Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey said he will personally convey the feeling of the minister to the Governor and assured the BJP members that he will look into the statement and expunge parts which were unconstitutional.