After a heated debate between Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs in Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, the debate on the Second Supplementary Budget and Mahakumbh was postponed and the House was adjourned for the day. The SP MLAs demanded an apology for the comments made by Pathak to the leader, the opposition Mata Prasad Pandey in the assembly.
Displeased with protesting SP MLAs using “insulting language” to Pathak, Speaker Satish Mahana suspended SP MLA Atul Pradhan for the rest of the session and asked the marshals to be removed from the House immediately.
Earlier, SP MLAs including Dr Ragini and Atul Pradhan raised the issue of the “poor condition” of the state’s hospitals, citing recent incidents including Jhansi, where a fire broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit, killing several newborns. Unit (NICU) of the state-run Maharani Laxmibai Medical College last month…
After Pradhan alleged corruption in the health department, especially in the distribution of medicines, Pathak, who is also the state’s health minister, pointed out that many of the incidents cited by the SP MLAs were not part of the notice. Pathak said the notification falsely claimed that “doctors are not available in emergency sections at primary health centres”, adding that the SP MLAs are “playing with the lives of the people of the state as emergency services are not available at PHCs. Community Health Centers (CHCs).
Pointing out that the document (notification) was also signed by LOP Mata Prasad Pandey, Pathak said it showed that the SP leaders had not “under any influence” read the documents.
The deputy chief minister also mocked the SP MLAs, asking if they got their “evening dose” from their “brothers”.
“Did you get the evening dose or not… brother gave the dose?” Pathak said shouting slogans from the opposition bench.
After Pandey’s objection, Pathak said, ‘As you carry, you will cut. Pichche se bhala thrown away to hum kya here rubber ki bullet chalenge? (You reap what you sow. If you shoot an arrow, do you expect us to shoot a rubber bullet?)
After SP member Pathak entered the well of the House shouting slogans, Speaker Mahana and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna objected.
After several warnings, Mahan announced that he was using his prerogative to expel the chieftain from the rest.
session.
After the ruckus, the House was adjourned for some time and when it reconvened, the SP MLA apologized to Pathak.
Although Pathak then said that he respected Lopi Pandey and did not mean to use any “unpleasant language”, the SP MLAs continued their protest. After a while the meeting was adjourned for the day.
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