Bhubaneswar: Demonstrations by Opposition BJD and Congress MLAs, alleging mismanagement in the paddy procurement process, disrupted the proceedings of the Odisha Assembly for the second consecutive day Thursday.
As soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour at 10.30 am, BJD and Congress members rushed to the Well with placards, raising slogans against the government.
Some of the BJD members were seen scaling the speaker’s podium during the demonstrations.
BJD MLAs alleged that due to the mismanagement in the Kharif paddy procurement process, farmers were facing harassment.
The Congress legislators, on the other hand, attacked the BJP government, alleging that it was not being able to fulfill its pre-poll promises, including providing 300 units of free electricity.
As the agitating members did not pay heed to Speaker Surama Padhy’s repeated appeals to return to their seats, she adjourned the proceedings till 11.30 am.
The House could function for three minutes during the Question Hour, during which Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling replied to questions related to the Water Resources Department by two MLAs.
When the House reassembled for Zero Hour, similar scenes were witnessed. Six minutes later, Speaker Padhy announced a second adjournment till 4 pm.
BJD member Goutam Buddha Das said they want the resignation of Food Supplies Minister KC Patra and the government’s apology to farmers.
The BJP government is not holding discussions with the farmers, who are the victims of the paddy procurement mismanagement. The state-run mandis are not procuring paddy from farmers and putting them in trouble on some pretext or another, he told reporters outside the House.
Congress MLA Sofia Firdous alleged that the state government was not listening to the people, even as it claims to be a people’s government.
We strongly condemn the government calling farmers ‘fake’ and their plight as ‘noutanki’ (drama). The BJP has developed the habit of not listening to the people, she said.
BJP MLA Manoranjan Dyan Samantray claimed the BJD and Congress were shedding crocodile tears for the farmers.
They are not protesting for the farmers, rather attempting to gain political mileage out of the situation, he said.
Let them come for a discussion on the farmers’ issues in the assembly, he said.
