Bhubaneswar: For the fourth day in a row, Odisha Assembly Thursday witnessed ruckus over the statement of a ruling BJD MLA who urged the opposition members to come to the House with good “mental health”.
The statement was made by Nayagarh MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo, who came down heavily on the leader of opposition (LoP), Jaynarayan Mishra of BJP, and Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra after the opposition targeted Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s private secretary and 5T secretary without taking the officer’s name.
“Two Mishras have been criticising the 5T governance style of the state government which is a concept. There has been overall development in all the constituencies including those of opposition MLAs through the 5T concept. I will quit politics if there is no development in Odisha,” Sahoo said rejecting the opposition parties criticism towards the 5T initiative of the state government.
He said there seems to be some “mental health disorder” and requested all to come to the House in a good mental health condition.
Protesting the words used by the BJD lawmaker, the opposition BJP members trooped into well of the House and demanded immediate expunge of the words “mental health disorder” from Sahoo’s statement.
Speaker Pramila Mallik said she would examine the matter. She also adjourned the proceeding till 4pm as the BJP members refused to stop shouting in the well of the House.
Annoyed over the Speaker’s statement, the BJP members continued to stage protests even when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik moved a motion for the passing of the home and general administration departments’ supplementary expenditure for the 2023-24 fiscal.
While speaking during the Zero Hour, LoP Jaynarayam Mishra raised the issue relating to 5T secretary’s chopper rides across the state and his conduct of grievance meetings in 190 places.
The BJP leader said, “We have sought an answer on the spendings on the official’s chopper rides. The CM during his September 25 statement said in the last three-and-a-half years, Rs 40 crore was spent on the chopper. The CM should give the details of money spent on security arrangements and other expenditure made from the public exchequer on the grievance meetings.”
He also raised question on the helicopter use allegedly by the 5T secretary to attend Pallahara MLA’s wedding and the 11th-day ceremony of Talcher MLA’s father.
“How did the 5T secretary use the helicopter booked in name of Minister Pradip Amat to travel to Cuttack?” Mishra asked.
Referring to Patnaik’s statement, the LoP asked, “How can a person be the CMO? Does CMO mean a particular person? No other officer from the CMO was seen in the grievance meetings all along.”
Congress Legislative Party leader Narasingha Mishra also slammed the state government over a series of protests over several grievances at Lower PMG Square here.
“The CM in his statement said the CMO is going to several districts to address people’s grievances but why is it not hearing people’s plight at Lower PMG Square in the state capital?”, the Congress leader asked.
The CLP leader also alleged that he has seen the video where ministers were making arrangements for the secretary’s meeting. “What the CM actually wants? Does he suggest ministers to become servants of government officers,” Mishra asked.
When the House reassembled at 4 PM, similar protests were held again following which Speaker adjourned proceedings till 5pm.
PTI
