Odisha Assembly remains paralysed for third day running

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Nov 22:

Proceedings in the Odisha Assembly remained paralysed for the third day running today and the House had to be adjourned thrice, the last time till 3 pm, as both opposition and treasury benches stuck to their guns over their resepctive demands,

As soon as the House convened for the day, opposition members created a din over the alleged abusive language used by Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy against BJP member Radharani Panda on Thursday. Panda herself continued to stage a dharna in front of the Speaker’s podium while her party colleagues raised slogans against the apathy of the leader of the House and the Speaker to address the issue.

Congress members also protested the failure of the Speaker to address the issue, besides raising slogans against the government demanding its resignation over the chit fund scam.

On their part, the treasury benches continued their demionstration against the alleged apathy of the centre in giving assistance to the state for rehabilitation and restoraion work on account of Cyclone Hudhud this year and Phailin last year.

Speaker Nniranjan Pujari requested the protestting members to allow business to continue promising to take up the grievances of the opposition members after Question Hour was over. But the opposition members did not relent, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House first till 11.30 am, then 12.30 pm and finally till 3 pm as pandemonium continued.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra accused the government and the Speaker of failure to act on the issues raised by the government. “It is the responsibility of the government and the Speaker to  ensure the smooth running of the House. They must respect the opposition’s view. But they have failed to do that,” he said.

Leader of the BJP Legislature Party Basanta Kunmar Panda railed against the treasury benches. “Basic democratic courtesies demand that they should at least talk to the member, who has been abused by a minister and is on a dharna. But they have not bothered to even talkk to her,” he said describing it as a ‘threat to democracy.’

BJD member Samir Dash sought to put the blame on the opposition saying; “The Speaker had said he would take up the opposition demand after Question Hour was over. But they did not pay any heed to his request. Does it not show who wants the House stalled”he asked.

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition has written to the leader of the House and chief minister seeking his intervention for an early resumption of proceedings in the House.