Odisha BJP MLAs stage night-long dharna on Assembly premises

Bhubaneswar: Odisha BJP MLAs led by Leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik staged a night-long dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Legislative Assembly premises protesting suspension of party legislators Bishnu Charan Sethi, Mohan Charan Majhi and Jayanarayan Mishra by Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro.

“We staged dharna near the Mahatma Gandhi statue throughout the night. The agitation will continue outside the House,” said Naik in a tweet.

Later, they withdrew the sit-in protest after party’s state co-incharge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar met them, this morning.

ସାରା ରାତି ଆମେ ଗାନ୍ଧୀ ପ୍ରତିମୂର୍ତୀ ତଳେ ଧାରଣ ଦେଇ ପ୍ରତିବାଦ କଲୁ । ଗୃହ ବାହାରେ ଆମର ପ୍ରତିବାଦ ଜାରି ରହିବ । ଆଜି ଦଳୀୟ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟାଳୟରେ ଆମେ ସାମ୍ବାଦିକ ସମ୍ମିଳନିରେ ଆମର କଥା ରଖିବୁ । pic.twitter.com/qAadiM8E34

— Pradipta Kumar Naik (@pradiptanaikbjp) April 4, 2021

The three MLAs had yesterday hurled slippers, earphones, and papers at Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro’s podium as a mark of protest alleging that Odisha Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill was passed in the House without debate on the same.

Later, the Speaker suspended them after examining the video footage of the incident.