Governor apprises UP Speaker of reasons for not giving accent to six bills

LUCKNOW: Amid the controversy over Governor Ram Naik taking offence to certain comments by senior minister Azam Khan, Speaker of Uttar Pradesh Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey today met him at the Raj Bhawan here.

During the meeting, Naik apprised the Speaker of the reasons why six bills have not been given clearance from his side, a Raj Bhawan release said.

The Governor also told Pandey that he has already informed the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav about these bills.

In a stinging remark in the Assembly last month, Khan had accused Naik of stalling several bills by not giving his assent and alleged it was giving an impression that he was working under the "influence of a party".

Naik, during the meeting today, also handed over a copy of debate including the views of B R Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly about the rights of governors and duties of chief ministers regarding summoning of information and documents over administrative and legal matters, the release said.

The Governor is believed to have reiterated that as many as 20 lines of 60 of Khan's statements in the house have been expunged and this raises a question mark on his competence and ability to function as Parliamentary Affairs minister.

Earlier also, Naik had questioned Khan's competence as the Parliamentary Affairs minister after going through the CD and script of the remarks made by Khan on the floor of the House during discussions on March 8.

Khan has been engaged in a no-holds-barred war of words with Naik for quite some time, with the Samajwadi Party leader accusing him of being a 'kar sevak' and communally vitiating the atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh at the behest of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.