A ruckus broke out during the proceedings of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly’s 17th session with Opposition parties protesting loudly against the Chief Minister Adityanath-led government for what they said was the poor law-and-order situation in the state. Several members of the Opposition stormed the Well of the House despite Speaker Hridaya Narain Dixit’s request for an all-party meeting to address their concerns.

The protesting members even threw paper balls at the podium and the House guards tried to deflect them with folders. The proceedings were broadcast live on television for the first time ever. Governor Ram Naik’s address was also sidelined because of the agitation.

“The law and order in the state is very bad, people of the state are fed up. They have betrayed the farmers. Dalits and Muslims are being insulted and tortured. The BJP is a communal force and it will ruin the economic and social infrastructure of the state,” said a Samajwadi Party leader. The Congress, too, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of failing to deliver on their promises.

The session was convened mainly so that the Assembly could pass the Uttar Pradesh Goods and Services Tax Bill.