Heated arguments took place between leaders of the ruling BJP and Samajwadi Party Vidhan Parishad on Wednesday after opposition members objected to holding of a Cabinet meeting at Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. Council chairman Ramesh Yadav suspended the House for a brief period over the issue.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour at Legislative Council, Samajwadi Party member Shatrudra Prakash stressed that clicking photographs while taking a holy dip at Sangam after the Cabinet meeting during Kumbh was a clear violation of 'United Provinces Melas Rule, 1940.
Prakash alleged the violation of Section 18 of 'Uttar Pradesh Prayagraj Mela Pradhikaran Adhiniyam-2017', stating that the collection of people for any purpose other than religious work was prohibited in Kumbh area. "The holding of a cabinet meeting in Kumbh Mela area is definitely a non-religious programme. Thus the government also violated the laid norms of Kumbh Mela," the Samajwadi MLC said.
Photographs of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Cabinet ministers taking dip at the Sangam were widely published and aired in print and electronic media. "The entire Cabinet should have desisted from such derogatory and non-serious behaviour," Prakash said while alleging that the entire incident was a 'mockery' of Hindu religion and culture.
In support, SP members also rushed to the Well of the House and raised slogans against the government for organising a non-religious function at Kumbh Mela area.
Countering the SP member's charge, Leader of the House and Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said that there was no ban on holding Cabinet meeting anywhere. He also demanded that SP members should apologise for 'hurting religious sentiments'. "Pictures were clicked at 'selfie points' and the ones that were published were taken by the media and they could not be stopped from doing so," Sharma pointed out.
Without taking names of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Sharma wondered that if it was not wrong when senior opposition leaders got clicked while taking the holy dip. The Deputy CM said that words used by Shatrudh Prakash had 'hurt the religious beliefs' and were also not befitting for use in the House. Sharma's comments were objected by the SP, leading to a war of words with Treasury benches and prompting opposition members to rush to the Well of the House.
Another minister Mahendra Pratap Singh was heard saying 'astha par chot karna band karo' (stop attacking faith).
Later, Council chairman Ramesh Yadav adjourned the House for 20 minutes. When proceedings resumed, Leader of Opposition Ahmed Hasan alleged that the BJP government was only concerned about elections and 'saffronising' all events and programmes. The chairman later deleted all objectionable words used by members of both the benches.