Oppn lambasts Odisha govt for adjourning Assly ahead of schedule

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 17:

The ruling Biju Janata Dal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today came in the firing line of the Opposition parties as it criticised the Odisha government for adjourning the Budget session of the Assembly sine die, four days ahead of schedule yesterday.

The leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Narasingha Mishra today held a press conference in the state capital and launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his government for not giving his statement in the Assembly.

“Chief Minister did not give any statement on the floor of the House despite repeated requests. We had urged him for a discussion. But, he did not participate in it. The people of the state would decide on how far it is justified that a chief minister who is reluctant to put a statement in House reads out a statement outside the Assembly. We had moved an adjournment motion to discuss the issue where over 20 lakh people have been duped by chit fund companies. It was unfortunate that Speaker did not allow time to discuss it. We had staged a protest in the House. Despite this, neither the state government nor the Speaker agreed to allow discussion on it,” senior Congress leader Narasingha Mishra said.

People are saying that the chief minister is zero inside the Assembly, whereas he is a hero outside, the veteran Congressman quipped.

The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) too put the chief minister in the dock over his statement outside the Assembly last evening.

“Issues concerning people are discussed in the Assembly. However, it is unfortunate that the Biju Janata Dal and the chief minister are running away from the issues. They are not taking the House into confidence while it is in session. After the House is adjourned, the chief minister made a media statement outside the Assembly, not inside it. This is unfortunate and Bharatiya Janata Party condemns it. There are several issues like water scarcity, shortage of doctors and teachers. They did not take up these issues. They have stifled the democracy as they are in the majority. This is an example of mean politics,” BJP state unit president Basant Panda said.

Reacting to this, BJD leader Sashi Bhusan Behera said: “The Opposition Congress and BJP have united to shift blame to the government. Narasingha Mishra and Basant Panda are experienced politicians. The have brought allegations on Speaker’s role in running the House. There is no truth in government not cooperating in running the House.”