LUCKNOW: The winter session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature began on Friday amid sharp political exchanges over the ongoing “codeine cough syrup” racket, with tensions between the state government and opposition marking the proceedings.
Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs attended the four-day session wearing symbols highlighting the issue, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused the opposition of having links to the culprits involved in the racket.
At around 11:30 am, the CM spoke to the media outside the Assembly, saying preliminary investigations revealed that those arrested in the case had connections with the SP. He added, in a poetic remark, that instead of focusing on facts, the SP chief was “trying to clean his mirror while the dust was there on his face.” Yogi further noted that if the issue was raised in the Legislative Council, the government would respond there as well.
The CM said probe agencies, including the FSDA, UP Police, and STF, had tracked illegal smuggling, resulting in arrests. He explained that codeine phosphate, used in medicines, falls under the NDPS, and its quota and allotment are predefined by the Central Narcotics Bureau for medicinal purposes. The state government’s action followed reports of misuse in cough syrup and complaints of smuggling.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav later retaliated, calling the allegations an old tactic and urging the government to come up with new approaches instead of repeating past strategies.
During the session, SP MLA Brijesh Yadav brought a box of codeine syrup tied to his bicycle, highlighting the alleged dangers of the syrup, its political backing, and how accused individuals could escape abroad. Another SP MLA, Mukesh Verma, wore a poster claiming influential people were involved in the syrup scandal and demanded action against the trade.
In response, Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak presented a photograph showing Akhilesh Yadav with STF constable Alok Singh, accused in the codeine syrup case, alleging that the SP’s reactions reflected the saying that a guilty person betrays himself.
On the first day, the Assembly also passed a condolence motion on the demise of Ghosi MLA Sudhakar Singh before adjourning until Monday morning.
It was announced that Finance Minister Suresh Khanna will present the second supplementary budget for 2025–26 on Monday, and the House will hold a four-hour discussion on Vande Mataram. Issues such as the SIR project and the codeine syrup racket are expected to be raised by Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath scheduled to present his views on December 23 and 24.