LUCKNOW, Dec. 20 -- Allegations flew thick and fast as the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers had a face-off on the issue of quality of education in the state, in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council on the first day of the winter session on Friday. While the SP alleged that the quality of education had deteriorated over the last few years under the BJP regime, the government dismissed the charge, leading to a walkout by the SP MLCs. Responding to an adjournment notice, basic education minister Sandeep Singh dismissed the allegations, after which the SP members walked out of the House. Leader of the opposition in the legislative council Lal Bihari Yadav, along with SP members Rajendra Chaudhary, Man Singh Yadav, Mukul Yadav, Ashutosh Sinha and Balram Yadav, had moved the adjournment notice under Rule 105 over the "declining standards" of basic education. Chairman Kunwar Manvendra Singh later rejected the motion, stating that similar directions had already been issued in the previous session to refer the matter to the government for appropriate action. Earlier, during the question hour, Dhruv Kumar Tripathi of the teachers' group raised a query to the minister of science and technology regarding projects of the Uttar Pradesh Council of Science and Technology. Dissatisfied with the reply, he sought further clarification, following which the chairman directed that the matter be referred to the Question and Reference Committee. Tripathi also raised demands by teachers for the framing of service rules in accordance with the Intermediate Education Act, 1921, and for equal pay for equal work. Minister Swatantra Dev Singh responded on behalf of the government, after which the chairman rejected the adjournment motion, citing that instructions had already been issued in the previous session. The proceedings began at 11 am with the singing of 'Vande Mataram..', after which the chairman placed before the House the recommendations of the Business Advisory Committee regarding the day-wise schedule of the session. The chairman later expressed condolences over the demise of Gorakh Prasad Nishad, former minister of state (independent charge) and former member of the legislative council, and the House observed a moment of silence. Tripathi also gave notice of a breach of privilege over the alleged non-invitation of elected representatives from local bodies, teachers and graduates to district-level meetings and programmes. The chairman directed the leader of the House to look into the matter. BJP MLC Vijay Bahadur Pathak gave notice under Rule 39(a) regarding the open sale of banned Chinese manjha (kite string) in the state, which was referred to the government for action. Under Rule 59(5), he congratulated the Indian women's cricket team and the Indian blind women's cricket team on their achievements, which was accepted by the Chair....