Bhubaneswar: The proceedings of the Odisha Assembly were disrupted for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, following frequent adjournments as the opposition BJD and Congress demanded the resignation of Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling over the fire incident in a hospital that left 12 patients dead.
The House witnessed noisy scenes from the very beginning when it assembled for the Question Hour at 10.30 AM.
Holding placards and shouting anti-government slogans, the opposition members trooped into the well of the House and demanded the resignation of the minister, holding the state government responsible for the death of 12 patients at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
The fire incident took place at the trauma care ICU of the premier government hospital early March 16.
The agitating members attempted to climb the Speaker’s podium and were prevented by the marshals. Opposition MLAs raised slogans like “Ram Naam Satya Hai” and “(CM) Mohan Majhi Hai Hai” when Speaker Surama Padhy allowed School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond to reply to certain questions.
The minister’s reply was not audible in the din.
Unable to run the proceedings, the Speaker first adjourned the House till 11.30 am and later till 4 PM. She convened an all-party meeting to break the four-day-long stalemate.
However, opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik made it clear that they are not withdrawing the agitation until the minister resigns on moral ground.
“Who is responsible for the death of 12 patients and burn injury of 11 others in a government-run hospital?” Mallik asked.
She cited the resignation of the then health minister Atanu S Nayak over a similar fire tragedy at a private hospital in 2016 during the BJD regime.
“Where is the morality of the BJP government? This time, the incident occurred in a government facility,” Mallik said, adding that the opposition will fight for justice.
BJP member Ashok Mohanty rejected the opposition’s demand, claiming that resignation of the minister would not solve the problem.
“The previous BJD government did not make any fire safety arrangements in SCB medical college hospital during its 24-year tenure. Now, within two years, the BJP government has provided Rs 800 crore for the infrastructure development of the SCB Medical College. Things could not be set right overnight,” Mohanty said.
He added that the government has placed four officials under suspension, announced ex gratia for the victims’ families and also ordered a judicial probe.
The House witnesed similar situation for the past three days over the issue.
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