Bundelkhand Authority Issue Affects LS Business for Second Day

For the second consecutive day, creation of a separate Bundelkhand Development Authority drew objections from Opposition thus affecting proceedings of Lok Sabha and forcing government to assure that the federal character of the country will not be tolerated.

As after the House met, Sushma Swaraj, BJP’s deputy leader in LS, demanded that government must clarify its status on the move to establish a development authority for the drought-hit region spread across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

“There is no proposal before the government which will alter the federal character of the country,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said.

Normalcy was restored after the government statement, which, however, did not make specific reference to creation of the board for development of a backward area which falls in both the states.