Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly Tuesday was adjourned till 4 pm in the wake of protests by the opposition BJP members who demanded the expunge of words like “anti-people” uttered by chief minister Naveen Patnaik in his statement made in the House.
As soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour, the BJP members were on their feet raising slogans and condemning the chief minister’s remarks against opposition parties. They too demanded withdrawal of suspension on two MLAs.
Opposition BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi and MLA Mukesh Mahaling were suspended from the House till the end of the session on the charge of disrespecting Odisha’s first woman Speaker Pramila Mallik by throwing ‘daal’ targeting the podium.
They immediately trooped into the Well of the House holding placards and raising slogans. They demanded that the “anti-people” word used by the chief minister in a statement in the House September 25 be expunged before commencing any business in the House.
While defending the grievances conducted by officers across Odisha, Patnaik in a statement September 25 had said: “Opposition members should be happy that so many grievances in their areas have also been solved. I do not understand how someone can oppose the solving of people’s grievances. Such opposition is anti-people and the people will give them a befitting reply for such attitude”.
As noisy scenes prevailed, Speaker Pramila Mallik adjourned the House till 4pm.
BJP member Nauri Nayak accused the state government of stalling the House. He alleged that the treasury bench members are behaving like opposition members.
BJD member Snehangini Churia said that the House is stalled due to ruckus created by BJP members who are opposing developmental work in the state.
Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra, however, blamed both the BJD and the BJP members for no transaction of business in the House. He said if the BJP members created noise, the Speaker could have adjourned the House till 11.30pm and convened an all-party meeting to resolve the issue.
“The Speaker adjourned the House till 4pm without trying to resolve the matter,” Mishra said.
PTI
