Even as the entire opposition, including Samajwadi Party, members staged a walkout from the Legislative Council over an adjournment notice on law and order, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday reiterated that the prime accused of Sonbhadra massacre had links with Samajwadi Party and promised to take stringent action against him.

Replying to a question raised by SP’s Amit Yadav during the Question Hour in the Council, Yogi said that the law and order in the state had been strengthened and there should be no doubts about it. 

“The encouraging results which have come in terms of investment in the state are a result of better law and order situation,” he claimed. 

To Yadav’s question about the crime incidents in the state from March 1 to 15, Yogi said, “We have not even completed two-and-half years in power, but in this duration communal amity has been at its best.”

The Chief Minister also made a reference to Sonbhadra killings, saying, “As far as death of 10 tribals in the gunfire is concerned, it gives me immense pain to share that the evidence which has emerged dates back to 1955. At that time, a Congress leader had grabbed land of forest dwellers and tribals by registering it in the name of a trust. Later in 1989, the land was registered in the name of his family members,” he said. 

Yogi said that the land was then purchased by village pradhan Yagyadutt Bhotia, who is the prime accused in the killing.

“The murderer is linked to Samajwadi Party and we will take stringent action against him,” he said.

On this, Samajwadi Party members protested and its member Shatrudra Prakash said that the Chief Minister had no right to speak about the incident as it was Question Hour and only questions and answers were allowed. 

“There is no reference to Sonbhadra incident in the question, hence it is not right for the Chief Minister to speak on this. He can speak at length about it when an adjournment notice is brought in the House,” Prakash said. 

This forced Yogi to settle in his seat and after some time, he left the House. 

Meanwhile, during arguments on adjournment notice, SP members raised the issue of law and order and were joined by members of Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress. 

When the government denied the charges, the entire opposition staged a walkout from the House. 

SP members also staged a walkout from the House after the Chairman raised objections to the use of objectionable language by one of the members while speaking on adjournment notice on making a policy for payment of honorarium to teachers of unaided colleges.