UP Assembly sees fierce exchanges

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Assembly witnessed a marathon sitting that began at 11 am on Wednesday and continued through the night, and ended at 11 am Thursday. The debate, focused on the state’s Vision Document, saw ministers from various departments speaking in turn, while Opposition leaders also took the floor. The late-night hours were punctuated by sharp exchanges between treasury and Opposition benches.

Fisheries minister Sanjay Nishad took aim at the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Congress, claiming that “before we came, Congress and BSP had already been wiped out; now, the remaining SP will also be cleared from the House.” Outlining his department’s Vision 2047, he said the goal is to equip fish farmers with digital and AI tools and make them economically and socially strong.

He said 28 proposals had been prepared and submitted to the Speaker.

Minister of State for Homeguards Dharamveer Prajapati criticised the absence of Opposition members during the discussion. “They are neither willing to participate in building a developed India and UP nor willing to even listen — this is extremely unfortunate,” he said.

Prajapati said the vision includes increasing women’s strength in the Homeguards and giving them important responsibilities alongside the police.

Meanwhile, SP president Akhilesh Yadav hit back, urging the BJP to release not a “Vision Document” but a “Reason Document” to explain why, in his view, it had failed to fulfil a single promise. “The BJP government has completely failed — in law and order, flood control, education, health, and development,” he said.

He accused the ruling party of practising “politics of hatred and discrimination” and claimed there was “widespread public anger” against it.

Akhilesh further charged that the government had failed to build even a single district-level hospital in nine years, ruined ambulance services, shut down schools, and sold public institutions into private hands.