Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Legislative Assembly was thrown into chaos on Wednesday as Opposition MLAs protested the deadly fire at Cuttack’s SCB Medical College and Hospital, which claimed 12 lives and injured 20 others. The blaze, reportedly caused by a short circuit in the first-floor Trauma ICU, occurred while patients were asleep.
The commotion began around 10:30 a.m., shortly after the House convened for Question Hour. Opposition members stormed the Well, raising slogans such as “Mohan Majhi Hai Hai” and demanding the resignation of Health & Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling. Several lawmakers also displayed placards stating, “We demand the resignation of the Health Minister.”
Speaker Surama Padhy repeatedly appealed to the members to return to their seats and allow proceedings to continue, but the protests showed no signs of abating. Citing the disruption, the Speaker was forced to adjourn the House till 11:30 a.m.
The fire at SCB Hospital has sparked outrage across the state, with families of the victims and political leaders demanding a thorough investigation into safety lapses.
