BJP, SP blast Mayawati over Bareilly violence

The Bahujan Samaj Party government led by Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh came under attack in the Lok Sabha on Monday over the communal strife in Bareilly. Samajwadi Party, Congress and Bharatiya Janatiya Party members sought the Centre's intervention in restoring law and order in the violence-hit town.

The House had to be adjourned prematurely before lunch recess, as BJP members created a ruckus, after party leader Maneka Gandhi was disallowed from raising the issue. SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav raised the issue of violence in Bareilly, which has been under curfew since last fortnight, during Zero Hour and targeted the Mayawati government for the way she handled the situation.

"While Bareilly is on fire, Mayawati government is spending Rs 200 crore of public money on a rally," he said, adding that a large number of people were injured in the ongoing violence in the UP town over the last fortnight and Muslims were the worst affected.

"What did the state government do to prevent it and bring it under control," he asked.

His party colleague Shailendra Kumar sought the Centre's intervention and demanded a statement on the situation. Janata Dal - United chief Sharad Yadav, who criticised the state government for barring political leaders from visiting the town, said the Centre's statement should be made today itself.

"In the last 10 years, Bareilly has never been under curfew for 14 continuous days," he added.

Joining the attack on the Mayawati government, Congress member from the state Jagadambika Pal said, "The state government has failed on the law and order front and it appears to be helpless. The Centre should intervene".

Soon after, BJP members Maneka Gandhi and Yogi Adityanath wanted to speak on the issue and sought the Chair's indulgence, which was rejected. BJP members were agitated over Gandhi, who represents the nearby Aonla, not being granted permission to have her say, despite her repeated pleas.

The BJP members did not allow other members, whom the chair had called to raise issues, to speak and raised a din. Gandhi's demand was supported by her senior party colleagues Yashwant Sinha and Ananth Kumar.

Repeated pleas by Speaker Meira Kumar to let other members, who had issued a notice, to speak went unheeded. At one point, Kumar said she will call Gandhi to speak, provided BJP members allowed the Zero Hour to proceed smoothly.

"You have to understand your Parliamentary responsibility and the decorum of the House has to be upheld," she said.

As BJP members continued with their demand for letting Gandhi to speak, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm, just 30 minutes before the lunch recess. This led to BJP members shouting slogans of 'shame, shame', prompting Home Minister P Chidambaram to ask what was shameful for the Central government in the Bareilly issue.