Bhubaneswar: Amid relentless protests by the opposition parties over Kalahandi teacher Mamita Meher murder case, leading to frequent disruptions in the House, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday appealed to the agitating members to cooperate in the smooth conduct of the Assembly.
Patnaik said, “The Indian Constitution has given crucial responsibilities to the Legislature whose members enjoy certain safeguards and privileges for helping them discharge their duties without fear, intimidation and pressure. It will be a travesty if the members of the House are not allowed to discharge their Constitutional duties. This is also setting a wrong precedent and such attempts can be misused anytime.”
The state is bracing for a winter cyclone in the next 48 hours. Worldwide the Covid crisis is assuming serious proportions and we have issues of farmers, non-lifting of paddy by FCI, stopping of rural housing scheme in KBK and tribal districts, sharp cut in central funds for the state, doubling of LPG price, inflation and other issues affecting the common man, he pointed out.
He appealed to the opposition members to cooperate in the smooth functioning of the House so that people of Odisha are benefitted.
The Chief Minister’s statement came in the wake of pandemonium that continued to prevail in the Assembly over the issue for the third consecutive day as opposition BJP and Congress members created ruckus in the House demanding removal of MoS, Home DS Mishra from the Council of Ministers.
The House was not able to conduct any business Friday due to the protest by opposition members and witnessed adjournments twice in the morning session and another till Saturday morning in the post-lunch session.
Meanwhile, the BJP members led by opposition chief whip Mohan Majhi sprinkled ‘Ganga Jal’ and water mixed with cow dung in front of the Assembly building and swept it for ‘purification’.
The BJP members said the Assembly has lost its sanctity due to the presence of Mishra. The minister has been attending the House since the commencement of the winter December 1.
Opposition Chief Whip Mohan Majhi of the BJP said, “We demand Mishra’s removal and CBI probe into the case. But when we raised the demands during the Question Hour, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings. The Naveen Patnaik government is shielding Mishra. We will continue our stir till our demands are met.”
“Mishra’s presence in the House in the last two days rendered it impure,” he said.
Outside the Assembly, BJP workers staged a protest at Master Canteen Square beating cymbals, to “wake the state government up from its slumber”.
