Bhubaneswar: The second phase of the budget session in the State Assembly commenced today on a stormy note, with the Opposition BJD and Congress creating heavy pandemonium inside the House.
They stalled the question hour over ‘disrespect to Biju Patnaik’ and women’s safety. As soon as the House assembled for the day, BJD and Congress members raised slogans on their respective issues from their seats.
Later, they stormed into the well of the House, creating a ruckus near the Speaker’s podium. Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati and BJD’s Adhiraj Panigrahy tried to climb atop the Speaker’s podium and break the Speaker’s mic.
The question hour was severely affected due to the heavy noise in the House. Unable to run the House, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the session until 12 noon. The BJD legislators staged a dharna in front of the Biju Babu statue, while Congress held a separate dharna near the Gandhi statue on the Assembly campus.
When the House reassembled at 12 noon, similar scenes were witnessed, following which the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 4 pm.
“The people of Odisha, especially Biju lovers, have raised the ante over disrespect to the legendary Biju Patnaik. We will not tolerate such humiliation to Biju Babu. The government should answer why it changed Panchayati Raj Divas. It has to revise its decision and restore March 5, the birth anniversary of Biju Babu, as Panchayati Raj Divas,” said BJD MLA Arun Sahoo.
March 5 had been declared as Panchayati Raj Divas by a Cabinet resolution. Has the BJP government passed any proposal to make March 24 Panchayati Raj Divas, asked Sahoo.
Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Naik said “Biju Babu is beyond politics. He is a great son of this soil. We have high regards for him. The BJD considers him as its patent. This BJD had removed his photo from party posters during the last elections. This was the respect the BJD had shown to the great man. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi organized a state-level Biju Babu birth anniversary celebration, inviting his son and the Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik. Today, the BJD disrupted the House business in the name of Biju Babu,” Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Naik said.
Congress legislature party chief Ramachandra Kadam said that the Congress would fight for the rights, safety, and security of women. Minor girl students delivering babies in government schools is a disturbing trend. Women feel insecure in the state, and the law and order situation has completely collapsed. Therefore, the Congress has decided to raise the issue both inside and outside the Assembly.
