A rare scene unfolded in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday when ruling BJP MLA Harshvardhan Bajpai questioned his own government regarding the Nazul Land Bill.
Immediately, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna asked Bajpai to stop commenting on his own government, but the MLA refused to budge.
Several opposition members supported the MLA, leading to a major embarrassment for the treasury benches.
The SP members squatted in the well of the House in protest against the Bill.
BJP MLA from Allahabad (North) Harshvardhan Bajpai, while discussing the adoption of the Uttar Pradesh Nazul Sampati Bill, said that people have been living on Nazul land for hundreds of years, even 75 years before independence. But now they will be evicted.
“While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is settling people by giving them houses, this new law will demolish their homes,” he said, demanding that those already living on Nazul land be granted freehold.
He said that officials were providing wrong feedback to the government, leading to such confusion.
Jansatta Dal MLA from Kunda Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya also opposed the Bill and questioned in the House what kind of development was taking place.
“Efforts are being made to force lakhs of people onto the streets. Which officials have given this information? It is beyond understanding. If the British could grant freehold, why can’t this public welfare government do the same?” he questioned.
He said that the Allahabad High Court is also built on Nazul land and asked if it would be vacated as well. He argued that the Bill should be sent to the select committee, stating that it would only create chaos.
SP members also staged a dharna in the well of the House in protest against the Bill.
However, the Nazul Land Bill was approved by the Assembly amid protests by the opposition.