Congress, JD walk out of Uttar Pradesh assembly on unemployment policy

The Congress and Janata Dal members in the Uttar Pradesh assembly on Monday walked out of the House expressing displeasure over the government's reply on its unemployment policy.

The issue was raised during question hour. Congressman Naresh Agarwal wanted to know whether the state government was planning to pay a monthly Rs 200 allowance to the jobless.

Labour Minister Prabha Dwivedi said there was no such government policy. There are 22 million unemployed people in the state, she said.

"The state will have to bear an additional Rs 4.44 billion burden if such allowances are to be paid," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barkhu Ram Verma, "It is a tall order for the government; it is not possible.''

Dissatisfied with the reply and in protest against the absence of 'a clear policy', the Congress and Janata Dal members called it a day. But not before the Samajwadi Party members stepped into the well of the house and added their two bit to the protest by shouting anti-government slogans.

UNI