Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJD and Congress created ruckus in the State Legislative Assembly over their separate issues on the first day of second phase of Budget Session today.
Due to the difficult situation created by the Opposition members, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the House proceedings first an hour and then till 4 PM.
The House first paid tribute to former Jashipur MLA Sundar Mohan Majhi, who passed away on August 13.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Maji moved the obituary motion, which was supported by BJD Chief Whip Pramila Mallick on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, Congress Legislature Party leader Ram Chandra Kadam, CPM leader Laxman Munda, and Speaker Surama Padhy.
The House expressed its condolences to the bereaved family and observed a minute of silence to honor the departed soul.
As the Speaker proceeded with the Question Hour and asked Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Nayak to respond, Opposition Congress members rushed into the well of the House, shouting slogans demanding student elections in educational institutions, which have been suspended for the past six years during the previous BJD government’s tenure.
Simultaneously, BJD members were seen standing and raising slogans against the government over an incident involving the Odisha Governor’s son allegedly assaulting an ASO in Puri during Rath Jatra.
BJD Chief Whip Pramila Mallick demanded to know what action the government had taken against the Governor’s son and also called for the expungement of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling’s remark about arresting Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik from the House proceedings.
She further sought clarity on the privilege notice moved against Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for announcing reservations for Agniveers from Odisha in the State’s uniformed services while the Assembly was in session.
Congress Lawmaker Tara Prasad Bahinipati said that student union elections have been stopped in the state since 2017 and the previous BJD government had avoided it.
The new BJP government had announced to hold such elections in different campuses but avoided the exercise this year.
Notably, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Monday announced that the students’ union elections would be held next year.
With both sides creating a chaotic situation, the Speaker, finding no other alternative, adjourned the House at 10:41 AM for an hour until 11:41 AM.
The situation remained the same when the House reassembled at 11.41 AM.
The Congress members again trooped into the well of the House and reiterated their demand for students’ election in the State.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling was seen reading the Cabinet decisions in the House, which were not audible in the din.
The Speaker then again adjourned the house till 4 PM without transacting any business, and in the process, the Question Hour, Zero Hour, and other business of the House was not transacted.