Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was Wednesday adjourned multiple times as MLAs of the opposition Congress created a ruckus, seeking an explanation from the government for transfer of Puri Srimandir’s Rs 545-crore funds from a nationalised bank to crisis-hit Yes Bank.
Wednesday was the first day of the Budget session’s second phase.
Shortly after the House made obituary references to three of its deceased members, the Congress MLAs trooped to the well of the House, raising ‘Jai Jagannath’ slogans and demanding stringent action against officers responsible for depositing the temple’s money in the now-cash-starved bank.
They also sought a statement from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and a high-level probe into the circumstances leading to the transfer of Jagannath temple’s money from a nationalised bank to Yes Bank.
The agitating Congress members were soon joined by BJP MLAs, who stood up from their seats to support the demand.
Unable to run the House, Speaker S N Patro adjourned the House — first from 10.42 am to 12.30 pm, then till 3 pm and finally for the day — as the members refused to budge.
Patro also said that he will allow a discussion on the issue Thursday.
The RBI has capped withdrawals from Yes Bank at Rs 50,000 and imposed limits on operations after the cash-starved lender faced “regular outflow of liquidity” after an effort to raise new capital failed.
Outside the House, Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik said the BJD government violated the provisions of Shree Jagannath Temple Act by depositing the Lord’s money in a private bank.
“We demand strict action against the officers responsible for the transfer of Lord’s money to a private bank. Not just the Lord’s money, the officers have defied rules and deposited other government funds, too, in private banks,” Naik told reporters.
Senior BJP member Bishnu Sethi alleged that there was a kickback of Rs 3 crore involved in the deposit of Lord Jagannath’s funds in Yes Bank.
Congress member S S Saluja said the Chief Minister should make a statement in the House to clarify what would be the fate
of the funds.
“It is unfortunate that the opposition members stalled the proceedings though the government is ready for discussions on any issue,” government chief whip Pramila Mallik said.
Meanwhile, Jagannath Sena, a socio-political outfit, lodged a complaint with the CBI seeking a probe into deposit of temple funds in the scam-hit bank. A human rights activist Pradipta Naik lodged a complaint with the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) seeking its intervention in the issue.
