Lucknow – Congress Legislature Party leader in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’, has strongly condemned the “disrespectful language and behaviour” of the Leader of the House towards senior leader and Leader of Opposition, Mata Prasad Pandey, calling it “a matter that shames democracy.”
Addressing the press at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Legislature Party office, Mishra said the incident occurred when Pandey sought to raise in the Assembly the issue of misbehaviour with him in Gorakhpur and requested an investigation. “Instead of listening to the Leader of Opposition, the Leader of the House adopted an inhumane and insensitive attitude, trivialising the seriousness of the matter and making a mocking statement. This is wrong and unacceptable,” she said.
Mishra alleged that the BJP government’s claims of ensuring security for every individual rang hollow when its own leaders behaved inappropriately with the Leader of Opposition and failed to ensure his safety. “Governments change, but dignity should never be compromised. An insult to any member of the House is an insult to the entire House,” she asserted, adding that the government should have promised a serious probe and action against the culprits instead of resorting to offensive remarks.
Calling the episode an “attack on the soul of democracy, parliamentary dignity, and political decorum,” Mishra placed four demands on behalf of the Congress Party:
- An impartial investigation into the security lapse and misbehaviour with the Leader of Opposition in Gorakhpur, identifying the guilty.
- A clear and public clarification from the Speaker of the Assembly on the matter.
- A formal apology from the government in the Assembly to Mata Prasad Pandey.
- Implementation of a code of conduct to maintain the dignity of members and the House in the future.
“If this can happen to a senior leader today, tomorrow the voice of any public representative can be silenced. This is a question of democracy, not of any one party,” Mishra warned.
