With sugarcane pricing issue offering them an appropriate cover to mount a joint assault on the government, the Opposition parties, belonging to both the Right and the Left, paralysed the Lok Sabha forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day.

Speaker Meira Kumar had barely completed the process of making obituary references after the searing-in of two new members when SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav stormed into the well. “Stop the robbery on sugarcane farmers,” he exclaimed. For once, even RLD leader Ajit Singh, who had obviously prepared himself to take the lead in the light of his central role over the issue and had occupied a seat next to Yadav, found himself outmatched by the former UP CM.

BJP president Rajnath Singh, the party’s deputy leader Sushma Swaraj, former president Murli Manohar Joshi, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav, CPM leader Basudeb Acharia and Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete were all on their feet. The Speaker did try to start question hour, but the protest drowned her voice. She adjourned the House till noon. However, when the House met afresh, the Opposition seemed more determined than before to disrupt proceedings. This time, even Sharad Yadav and Acharia stood in the well along side Mulayam and Ajit Singh. While the SP and RLD members shouted slogans, people belonging to other Opposition parties were standing in the aisles. Meira Kumar again adjourned the House, but this time, for the whole day.

Petition alleging illegal crushing of sugarcane
ALLAHABAD: The Allahabad High Court asked the state government and the Uttar Pradesh Sugar Cooperative Cane Union Federation on Thursday to file their reply to a writ petition, challenging the operation and use of kolhus (rural cane crushers) in the state.

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