Bhubaneswar: Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress legislators created a ruckus in the Odisha Assembly Friday over law and order situation in the state and alleged mismanagement in paddy procurement, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House several times.
The Opposition members trooped to the well of the House even before Speaker Surama Padhy took her seat and raised slogans against the BJP government in the state.
They demanded discussions on the law and order situation and alleged mismanagement in procuring paddy, and urged the Speaker to suspend all other businesses of the House.
Senior Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati was seen attempting to climb the Speaker’s podium.
BJD members stressed the alleged mismanagement in the paddy procurement, while the Congress raised the law and order issue.
Unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till noon.
When the House reassembled, a similar scene was seen forcing the Speaker to further adjourn the proceedings till 4pm.
The Question Hour and Zero Hour proceedings could not be held due to the din in the House.
Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik said the BJD members staged an agitation in the House as the Speaker rejected the party’s notice for a discussion on farmers’ issues.
“At least 14 farmers have died by suicide over crop loss due to unseasonal rains. We have given a notice for a discussion on the issue. However, the Speaker refused to accept it. Farmers are on the streets and have alleged that they are not being paid for about 10 kg of paddy for a quintal. The authorities deduct 10 kg of paddy for a quintal of grain in the name of ‘katni chatni’ (deduction of paddy),” Mallik told reporters outside the House.
Asked how to resolve the impasse in the House, Mallik, who is a former Speaker, said: “Our agitation will continue till the government accepts our demand and allow a discussion on farmers’ plight.”
BJD’s deputy leader in the Assembly Prasanna Acharya alleged that farmers are in distress in ‘mandis’ (marketplace) set up by the state government.
“I have received at least 10 phone calls from farmers in different parts of the state. They are in distress and their issues need to be discussed in the assembly,” Acharya said.
BJD MLA Ganeswar Behera claimed that farmers in 14 districts have been affected by unseasonal rain and “many of them died by suicide due to lack of government support”.
“We demand a detailed discussion,” he said.
Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam said they too demand a discussion on farmers’ issues.
The party also raised the issue of law and order situation in the state.
Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati said that Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar is not spared from the rise in crimes.
“One youth was killed on the day when the prime minister visited the city in January. There has been a rise in theft and other crimes. A tribal girl was gang raped in Koraput. We demand a detail discussion,” he said.
Bahinipati said his party demanded discussions on both farmers, issues and the law and order situation.
BJP member Irasish Acharya blamed both the BJD and the Congress for a ruckus in the House.
“The opposition has no issue, and they are creating noise over non-issues and keeping the House paralysed. The people are watching their activities,” Acharya added.
PTI
