Odisha SC/ST MLAs continue protest in Assly on holiday too

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 14:

The SC/ST legislators of Opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued their sit-in dharna near the Speaker’s podium demanding implementation of the Odisha Reservation of Vacancies (ORV) Act, despite today being a non-business day.

The agitation of the members inside the well of the House entered the fifth day today. Speaker Niranjan Pujari had yesterday adjourned the House till Monday in view of the two consecutive holidays on Saturday and Sunday.

“It is pitiable that the Chief Minister didn’t even bother to lend an ear to our demands. We prostrated and pleaded with him so that he would listen to our demands. But to no avail,” Congress MLA from Koraput Krushna Chandra Sagaria said.

Besides, the legislator also announced that the Dalit and tribal outfits will organise protest rallies in all district headquarters on Monday.

“We will organise state-wide agitation on Monday to show our strength,” Sagaria added.

It may be recalled that the legislators were forcibly evicted by security personnel from the chief minister’s office inside the assembly premises. Since then, the MLAs are continuing protest in the well of the house since Thursday evening.

Notably, the people’s representatives are demanding 38% reservation for ST/SC students in medical, engineering and other technical education institutions as prevalent in general colleges.