Bhubaneswar: Odisha Legislative Assembly on the third day of the monsoon session on Friday faced rough weather following uproar by opposition Congress alleging a scam in the recruitment process of the state Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
The Principal Opposition BJP, however, alleged that the House was deliberately adjourned to avoid a discussion on the “worsening” law and order in the state for which the party had given notice and it was also accepted by the Speaker.
“The House was adjourned within one minute even before one question was discussed. It is now clear that there has been a secret deal between the ruling BJD and the Congress to avoid a discussion on law and order,” BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi said.
“This is something like match-fixing. As per the secret deal, the Congress raised the recruitment scam issue and created din based on which, the Speaker adjourned the House. Law and order issues could not be discussed. We were supposed to raise the law minister’s alleged involvement in the Mahanga double murder and other such cases,” Mr.Majhi told Media outside the OLA.
The alleged recruitment scam issue was raised by Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra as soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour at 10.30 AM.
The Congress members stood in their respective seats even before the House proceedings began. Party MLAs led by Suresh Kumar Routray and Taraprasad Bahinipati rushed to Well and raised anti-government slogans.
“A big scam is going on in the SSC recruitment process. One can’t rule out the involvement of the third floor (of the secretariat where CMO is located) in it,” Mr.Mishra said in the Assembly.
“The state’s principal opposition party is confused over issues. A notice was given yesterday for a discussion on the recruitment scam. As it could not be held on Thursday, we demanded that the debate on the matter be conducted on Friday after cancelling the Question Hour,” Congress Veteran alleged.
Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro, who had admitted a notice by the BJP for a discussion on law and order in the state, announced adjournment of the House till 4 PM.
Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra was supposed to give a reply on the debate on law and order.
An SSC staffer was recently arrested by the anti-corruption vigilance wing, which detected massive disproportionate assets in his possession. The Congress and the BJP alleged that the arrest indicated a massive racket in the SSC.
Government Chief Whip Pramila Mallick, however, said, “The government is ready for discussion on any issue. Instead of raising common issues such as farmers’ problems and drought situation, they (opposition) have been disrupting the House over some petty crimes. Have people sent us to Assembly to discuss criminal cases only?”
“Many important Bills will be tabled in the House and few major issues are likely to be discussed. But unfortunately, the opposition is creating ruckus and disrupting proceedings,” Treasury Bench Member, Snehangini Chhuria pointed out.