LUCKNOW: The Winter session of the UP Legislature began on a stormy note today with a determined opposition disrupting the proceedings on issues like hike in power tariff and law and order, leading to washout of the Question Hour in both the Assembly and Council.
As soon as the Assembly met for the day, Opposition members, especially those from Samajwadi Party and Congress trooped into the Well with placards in their hands.
Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury said due to power tariff hike undue burden has been put on farmers and domestic consumers and the issue needed immediate discussion.
The SP members, donning red cap and displaying placards reading "Corruption in the name of pothole-free roads" and "Take back power tariff hike" raised slogans against the government. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present in the House.
Congress members too joined their SP colleagues sporting Gandhi cap and were heard raising anti-government slogans.
Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit's appeal to members to resume their seats went unheeded.
At one point, he asked the Leader of the Opposition if there was any rule that permitted bringing of placards inside the House.
"You have come to the House will full preparation", the Speaker noted.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the SP was "discarded" by the people of the state in 2014 Lok Sabha, 2017 Assembly and the recently held civic polls due to which it was disrupting the proceedings of the House.
Later, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes and extended it for 30 minutes and then for the entire Question Hour.
In the Legislative Council issues related to law and order, alleged shortage of fertilisers and seeds and EVM malfunctioning in the recent civic polls in the state were raised by the opposition.
SP members sported caps with slogans written on them and displayed banners despite repeated appeals from the Chair to maintain order.
All the while, the BSP members kept shouting from their seats adding to the din.
Amid uproar, Chairman Ramesh Yadav adjourned the House for half an hour.
When the House re-assembled, similar scenes were witnessed again and it was adjourned till noon.
Questions listed for the day could not be taken up in the din.