Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday slammed the conduct of opposition members during Governor Anandiben Patel’s address at the start of the ongoing Budget Session, saying such behaviour weakened democratic traditions and disrespected constitutional authority.
Speaking in the Legislative Council while responding to the discussion on the Governor’s address, Adityanath said 51 members from various parties had enriched the debate with their valuable suggestions and upheld the dignity and seriousness of the debate. He thanked them for their contributions.
“The Governor’s address is a document outlining the government’s achievements and future action plans, and is constitutionally presented annually in the Assembly by the Governor and in Parliament by the President,” Adityanath said.
“The Governor, as the constitutional head of the state, deserves respect from all members,” he said.
Referring to the opposition’s behaviour during the address, particularly those from the Samajwadi Party, he alleged that the “indecorous and inappropriate conduct” not only “disrespected a constitutional office but also amounted to an affront to a woman holding a high post.”
“It is our collective responsibility to respect national symbols, constitutional arrangements and the dignity of constitutional offices, and not indulge in conduct that sends a wrong message to future generations,” he said.
Adityanath remarked that expecting better from “such an opposition” would be “foolishness”, adding that the incident reflected what he described as the Samajwadi Party’s negative outlook.
He termed the behaviour “an insult to women’s dignity”, especially towards an experienced leader who is currently serving as Governor.
Highlighting the contents of the Governor’s address, the chief minister said it reflected the state government’s achievements over the past eight to nine years.
He claimed Uttar Pradesh had progressed from “crime and disorder to discipline, from curfew to rule of law, from unrest to celebration, and from problems to solutions”.
He said the journey also marked a transition from distrust to self-confidence, asserting that both the country and the world now acknowledge the change in Uttar Pradesh.
Adityanath alleged that previous governments, driven by “narrow agendas”, had jeopardised the state’s future and deprived its 25 crore people of their rightful opportunities, pushing the state towards lawlessness and instability.
