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No-trust motion against Mayawati Govt. defeated

By J. P. Shukla

LUCKNOW MARCH 5. The Opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly was rejected today by voice vote amid chaos and scuffles between the security staff and members of the Samajwadi Party who were protesting the manner in which S. C. Srivastava, who was in the Chair, rushed through the day's agenda.

The motion was moved following allegations that the Chief Minister, Mayawati, had appealed to the MPs and the MLAs of the Bahujan Samaj Party to contribute handsomely to party funds.

The Opposition had claimed that it had videotapes to prove the charge.

There was no debate on the motion as also on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, the supplementary budget for the current year, and the vote on account and appropriation bill relating to six months of next year's budget. While the Opposition wanted the debate on the no-confidence motion to be put off, the Government was determined to finish the business of the Assembly today itself.

The House was adjourned sine die after Mr. Srivastava announced that the no-confidence motion had been defeated.

The eight-hour proceedings were plunged into chaos, forcing adjournments at frequent intervals.

During the earlier part of the day, the interruptions were caused by the BSP members protesting certain remarks made by the Leader of the Opposition, Azam Khan, against a party member, Haji Yaqoob. Each time Mr. Khan stood up to speak, the members forced adjournments.

The Speaker, Kesri Nath Tripathi, who was in the Chair for a brief time after question hour, allowed Mr. Khan to table the motion.

The BSP members, however, did not allow him to speak which necessitated more adjournments.

Mr. Srivastava then proceeded with the business of the House even while protests from the BSP benches continued.

A fresh meeting of the Business Advisory Committee was called and a proposal moved to finish the entire business of the current session, including the debate and voting on the no-confidence motion, today itself. The Opposition members of the committee resigned in protest.

Atug of war ensued when the House reassembled, with Mr. Srivastava rushing through the business and the SP members trying to stop him by raising slogans, throwing paper missiles and making efforts to reach his podium.

And every time the SP members got close to his Chair, Mr. Srivastava adjourned the House for a few minutes.

When the House reassembled, he again rushed the agenda. When he called out the names of the Opposition members at the fag-end of the day to speak on the motion, the SP members were still fighting the security personnel.

The motion was then put to vote and defeated.

Even after the House was adjourned sine die, the SP members were sitting in the well to protest Mr. Srivastava's action.

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