Clash over Vande Mataram and Shankaracharya in Assembly, Yogi bluntly tells Akhilesh:

News India Live, Digital Desk: The budget session of Uttar Pradesh Assembly today turned into a political arena. On one hand, while the Yogi government enumerated the achievements of its huge budget of Rs 9.12 lakh crore, the opposition created ruckus from the House to the streets on the issue of mandatory chanting of ‘Vande Mataram’ and deletion of names from the voter list. The heated exchange between Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Leader of Opposition has increased the temperature in the House.

War of words broke out on ‘Vande Mataram’

There was a fierce debate in the House on the decision to make ‘Vande Mataram’ mandatory in madrassas and schools. Akhilesh Yadav sarcastically asked, “When did Yogi ji’s unregistered Sanghi comrades sing Vande Mataram before independence?” Countering this, CM Yogi said that insulting the national anthem is an insult to the Constitution and Baba Saheb Ambedkar. He accused SP of doing appeasement politics.

Shankaracharya controversy and ‘verbal violence’

Akhilesh Yadav raised the issue of alleged derogatory remarks against Shankaracharya, calling it ‘verbal violence’ and a sin. He alleged that the government is violating religious norms due to arrogance. At the same time, Deputy CM Brijesh Pathak pacified the opposition members and said that they should talk “to the point”, otherwise those spreading “political raita” will be given a befitting reply.

Opposition’s ‘halla bol’ over voter list (SIR)

The SP chief alleged that names of opposition supporters were being deleted in the name of ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR) of the Election Commission. Giving examples of seats like Sakaldiha and Babaganj, he said that thousands of votes have been removed through fake signatures. On the other hand, workers under the leadership of Congress state president Ajay Rai tried to gherao the assembly on the issue of MNREGA and unemployment.

Big announcements of Budget 2026 (at a glance)

Amidst the proceedings of the House, the government reiterated the main points of the budget:

Daughters’ marriage: grant amount increased from 51 thousand to 1 lakh Rs. was made.

Education: New state universities will open in Bhadohi and Shahjahanpur.

fresh blood: Target to provide free tablets and smartphones to 40 lakh students.

employment: Announcement of 10 lakh new employment opportunities and 14 new medical colleges.