The state Assembly on Tuesday witnessed an uproar over the recent arson at the house of Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi, with the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress trading charges over the issue forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House twice.

Soon after the House assembled in the morning, leader of the Congress Legislature Party Pramod Tewari raised the issue and demanded the government hand over the case to the CBI. Amid shouting by Congressmen, he described the arson incident as state-sponsored.

Shivpal Singh Yadav, the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, said such incidents were not witnessed even during the freedom movement. His intervention prompted Chief Minister Mayawati to remind the Opposition about the attack on her at the state guesthouse in 1995.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma defended the state government’s decision to order investigation by the CB-CID and mentioned the alleged derogatory remarks of Joshi against the CM.  

Later, when the House reassembled in the afternoon, Tewari said senior party leaders, including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi had already expressed their regret over the alleged remarks.

Demanding action against those involved in the arson, Tewari displayed certain photographs and alleged that the arsonists and police were hand in glove. He claimed that the SP (East) and the Hazratganj Circle Officer were present on the spot.

He further said Intazar Abdi, one of the BSP men allegedly involved in the incident, had been given the status of minister of state by the government. 

As Verma rose to reply, Congress members stormed the well. Amid uproar, Verma told the House that the government would ensure action against the miscreants.

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