Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJD and Congress continued to stall the Odisha Legislative Assembly proceedings for second consecutive day raising different issues.
As the House witnessed ruckus today, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the proceedings first till 11.30 AM and then suspended the session till 4PM without transacting any business during the pre-lunch session.
As the Assembly convened at 10:30 AM for the day to take up the Question Hour, Congress and BJD members rushed to the Speaker’s podium, shouted slogans, and attempted to stall the Question Hour business.
The Congress members opposed the recent Supreme Court verdict on the reservation for SC and ST, while the BJD members demanded an RDC probe into the hooch tragedy at Chikiti in Ganjam district.
Despite the opposition’s protests, the Speaker asked Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo to reply to a question. However, the opposition intensified their slogans, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House until 11.30 AM.
When the House reassembled at 11.30 AM, the situation remained the same as both Congress and BJD members again rushed into the well of the House, raising slogans in support of their demands. Then, the Speaker again adjourned the House till 4 PM.
The Congress MALs were raising the issue of the Supreme Court’s recent verdict on SC and ST reservations.
Speaking to reporters outside the House, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam said that there was an effort to deny quota for the STs and SCs in the name of creamy layer. The BJP government wanted to stop quotas for the marginalized people in the country, he alleged.
On the liquor tragedy, Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik of BJD alleged that the state’s BJP government has failed to check the circulation of spurious liquor in the State.
“They came to power by giving assurance to regulate illegal liquor trade. However, there is a liquor tragedy where one person died and over a dozen people were hospitalised after consuming spurious country liquor,” she said.
The BJD leader also asked the government to inform the House about the inquiry so far carried out on the liquor tragedy.
On the other hand, BJP MLA Manoranjan Dyan Samantray rejected the BJD’s allegation and claimed that the liquor trader from whom the people consumed alcohol was also operating in the area during BJD rule.
There is a bid to defame the Mohan Majhi government in the State in the name of the liquor death, he said.
On 20 August too, the Assembly witnessed chaos as the Opposition Congress and BJD members disrupted proceedings, leading to the Speaker adjourning the House twice until 4PM.