Bhubaneswar: Opposition Congress party continues to protest inside and out of the State Assembly over rising atrocities against women. The party has intensified its protest even after suspension of party MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati from Assembly for seven days.
Though the BJD members too created ruckus inside the House protesting the deteriorating law and order situation in the State, the members participated in the proceedings after the Question Hour.
When the House assembled at 10:30 AM to take up the Question Hour, Congress and BJD members, holding placards, trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the government, alleging that law and order had completely collapsed in the State.
Speaker Surama Padhy, however, proceeded with the Question Hour and asked Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling to respond to a question raised by BJP member Upasana Mohapatra.
As the Health Minister stood up to reply to the question, the agitated Opposition Members rushed to the podium and intensified their slogan shouting.
While the Congress Members raised concern over the rising cases of atrocities against women in the state, the BJD Members pointed out the deplorable law and order situation and alleged that the government had completely failed to control law and order. Later, the Speaker adjourned the House at 10:35 AM until 12:15 PM.
When the House reassembled at 12.15 PM, the Congress members continued their protest while BJD participated in the budget discussion. As the Speaker continues to run the House in chaos condition, the Congress members staged a walk out from the Assembly.
The situation remained the same in the second half session too. After staging a noisy walk out, the Congress Members sat on dharna under the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Speaking to media persons outside the House, Congress MLA Ashok Das said the state government must be awakened from slumber to act against rising crimes against women.
BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das said Chief Minister should give up the Home portfolio as the law and order situation has deteriorated in the last nine months since the BJP came to power.
The opposition lawmakers were seeking a statement from the chief minister over the multiple murders in the state during Holi, and cases of atrocities against women