Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly Friday witnessed a ruckus over the farmers issue by both treasury and opposition members forcing Speaker BK Arukha to adjourn the proceeding twice till the post lunch session.
As soon as the House assembled for Question Hour at 10.30 am, the opposition Congress and BJP members were already present at the well and shouted anti-government slogans holding the BJD dispensation of adopting “anti-farmer” approach.
While some of the agitating opposition members attempted to climb the Speaker’s podium, the ruling BJD members also rushed to well of the House leading to a face-off situation forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for one hour till 11.30 am.
As the House re-assembled and sloganeering continued, the speaker announced his decision to adjourn the proceeding till post lunch session at 4 pm.
While opposition members accused the state government of adopting “anti-farmer” stand in payment of crop insurance, drought input subsidy and paddy procurement difficulties, the BJD members blamed the BJP led central government of not hiking the MSP to paddy cultivators and not implementing the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Committee recommendation for raising income of farmers.
As the House remained adjourned, the members of the ruling Biju Janata Dal staged a sit-in near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Assembly premises demanding rise of MSP on paddy by the central government. The treasury bench members including ministers later marched to Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to Governor demanding Rs 2,930 per quintal MSP on paddy.
The BJP members also staged a sit in dharna in another place highlighting the state government’s “failure” in assisting farmers at appropriate time.
The first day of the winter session of the assembly on Thursday had witnessed a similar uproar over a blackmailing issue as the Opposition demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his silence over the issue.
The winter session of the Odisha Assembly will continue till December 31.
