SP, Congress members stage walkout from Uttar Pradesh Assembly

Samajwadi Party and Congress members staged a walkout from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Monday over the issue of baton charge on women protestors in Aligarh.

Soon after the House met at 11 am, Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury of the Samajwadi Party raised the issue and alleged that women were lathi-charged and tear gas shells were fired during anti-CAA protests in Aligarh on Sunday.

In his reply, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna accused him of wasting time of the House by raising the same issue every time.

"I want to ask who is giving air to the protests and in UP who is affected by it (Citizenship law)," Khanna said.

Chowdhury also stressed on a discussion on the issue during the Question Hour.

He alleged that the parliamentary affairs minister was trying to avoid it.

Countering him, the minister said, "We have reply of everything and law and order is the priority of the government."

Congress legislative party leader Aradhana Mishra Mona too joined the SP and walked out, alleging that the government was committing atrocities on women protestors.

Clashes broke out between anti-CAA protesters and police in the old city area of Aligarh on Sunday following incidents of arson and stone pelting.

The police had fired teargas shells to disperse the mob vandalising property and throwing stones at security personnel in upper Kot area of the Kotwali police station, said Aligarh District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh.