Odisha Assembly’s winter session begins on stormy note

Bhubaneswar: The winter session of the Odisha Assembly started with ruckus by Opposition Congress and BJP members resulting in an adjournment initially for an hour and later till tomorrow.

As the House assembled for the session and Question Hour began, Congress and BJP legislators rushed to the well of the House and shouted slogans over the issues of farmers in the state.

While Congress members were seen wearing aprons bearing texts of several demands, the BJP MLAs showed damaged paddy crops in the House.

Unable to run the House amid pandemonium, Speaker Pradip Amat adjourned the Assembly for an hour.

Following the adjournment, BJD members statged dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the assembly premises holding banners demanding hike in minimum support price (MSP) of paddy.

“The Prime Minister didn’t give appointment to the House Committee formed for hike in paddy MSP. Protesting it, the BJD members staged dharna here,” said BJD MLA Amar Prasad Satpathy outside the House.

“Drought, crop loss and unexpected rain have made the condition of farmers in the state miserable. Our demand was identification of affected sharecroppers like deceased Brunda Sahu and proper assessment of crop loss by the state government,” said BJP MLA Pradip Purohit outside the House.

“The state governemnt is neglecting the farmers. Both the Central and State governments are indulged in doing politics. The state agriculture department hasn’t conducted damage assessment properly. We had moved a motion over the issues of farmers which was not accepted,” said Congress MLA Prakash Behera outside the House.

“A motion was moved by the Congress to cancel the Question Hour and hold discussion over the issues of farmers. Sadly, the Speaker didn’t permit me to say anything in the House and adjourned it. The Speaker should convene an all-party meeting and discuss over the possible ways to help farmers and stop farmer suicide,” said Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra outside the House.

Later, the Speaker adjourned the House till tomorrow due to continuation of uproarious scenes as both ruling and opposition members created din in the House over famers’ issues after it reassembled.

Also read: Expect fireworks this winter session of Odisha Assembly.

Earlier during the beginning of the session, Chief Minister and leader of the House Naveen Patnaik, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra and KV Singhdeo, leader of BJP legislature party, condoled the demise of former members of the House in a obituary reference following which all the members present in the House observed an one-minute silence prayer for the departed souls.