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Bhubaneswar, Feb 7: Pandemonium prevailed for the second consecutive day in the state Assembly over the murder of an RTI activist forcing speaker Niranjan Pujari to adjourn the house twice during the zero hour.
The trouble began when Opposition Congress members created ruckus disrupting the proceedings of the house during zero hour demanding a statement from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the murder of RTI activist Krushna Prasad Sahu of Nachhigaon under Krishnaprsad Panchayat of Niali block in Cuttack district.
The Opposition members rushed to the well, shouted slogans in support of their demand, thumped the speaker’s podium and tried to snatch the microphone from his table.
The speaker did not pay any heed to their demand and asked other members to raise their issue. The agitated members continued their slogan-shouting inside the well. The continuing disturbance forced the speaker to adjourn the House again.
As the members assembled for the day, the first Question Hour of the session went off smoothly, without disruption.
Members of all parties expressed concern over the delay in implementation of National Food Security Act in the state to which Food Supply and Consumer Welfare minister Sanjay Das Burma responded and informed the House the scheme will be operational in the state by September.
However, chaos prevailed as soon as the zero hour began. While Congress member Naba Das raised the issue of RTI activist’s death, party whip Harihar Bahinipati raised the issue of farmer’s suicide and distress sale of paddy by farmers.
The Congress member said no one was arrested 11 days after the death of Sahu and alleged the state government was attempting to shield the culprit.
Demanding a clarification from the state government, the Congress members asked the speaker to give a ruling in this regard. Due to chaos, the speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes at 11.50am. Soon, house chairman Nrusingha Charan Sahu announced that the House was being adjourned for another 30 minutes.
As the members reassembled for the day, Leader of Opposition (Cong) Narasingha Mishra said no one would raise a voice against corruption if the killers of Sahu were not brought to justice.
“As the chief minister is in charge of Home department, he should make a statement,” Mishra demanded. Amid the din, Pujari directed the state government to make a statement in the house Monday relating to Sahu’s killing.
