Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 24:

Opposition Congress and BJP members today created ruckus in the Odisha Assembly demanding increase of minimum support price (MSP) for paddy and opposing power tariff hike in the state.

publive-image

After the House assembled for the day, Congress and BJP members rushed to the Well of the House shouting slogans and repeating their demand of hiking MSP for paddy from Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,800 per quintal.

They also opposed the hike in power tariff in the state.

Amid pandemonium, Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourned the House for an hour.

The House was further adjourned till 12.50 PM and again till 3 PM as Opposition members again created din after the House reassembled.

"Though the Speaker had earlier given his nod for discussion over the paddy MSP matter, he his yet to announce the date when the discussion will be held," said Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati outside the House.

"The BJP today raised the issue of paddy MSP and power tariff hike in the Assembly. The increase in power tariff will definitely affect the poor," BJP MLA Pradip Purohit told reporters outside the House.

"The Opposition members are neither concerned towards farmers nor towards consumers. They are only politicising the issues. It is extremely unfortunate that the House proceedings are getting marred by ruckus created by them," said BJD MLA Amar Prasad Satpathy outside the House.

"The hike in power tariff has come after a long time. We have kept the tariff unchanged for BPL consumers and agricultural activities," Captain Dibya Shankar Mishra told reporters outside the House.