Opposition Uproar in House as SP Targets Govt Over SIR and Kashi Demolition

Lucknow, Feb 10 — The governor’s address to the joint sitting of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Monday was overshadowed by chaos as Samajwadi Party (SP) members staged protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demolition linked to redevelopment at Varanasi’s Manikarnika Ghat.

Carrying placards and posters, several SP legislators wore T-shirts featuring images of the demolition site and marched to the well of the House, raising slogans and interrupting proceedings. Chants such as “Governor go back” and “The address is a bundle of lies” echoed through the chamber as the speech began.

Legislators Stage Demonstrations Inside House
Engineer Sachin Yadav drew attention by wearing a kurta layered with a T-shirt displaying the Manikarnika Ghat demolition alongside an image of Malwa queen Ahilyabai Holkar. Sardhana MLA Atul Pradhan held a large poster of Holkar, while members including Zahid Beg, Dr. Ragini Sonker, Faheem, and Pankaj Malik joined the demonstration.

As Speaker Satish Mahana invited the governor to deliver the address, senior SP leader Sangram Yadav raised objections regarding the voter roll revision. Protesters continued sloganeering throughout the session, with phrases like “False speech will not be accepted” and criticism of the government over reservation and social justice issues.

Address Continues Despite Disruptions
Amid the din, the governor completed her address, which lasted over 30 minutes, though much of it was difficult to hear inside the House. The written speech outlined key achievements of the state government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Opposition Targets Government Policies
Before the session began, SP MLAs had already demonstrated on the Assembly premises, accusing the government of pursuing anti-people policies and highlighting alleged discrepancies in the electoral roll revision.

SP national spokesperson and Legislative Council member Rajendra Chaudhary claimed the administration had “failed on all fronts,” intensifying the party’s attack during the opening day of the session.