**Bhubaneswar:** The plaguing plight of the farmers and recurrences of their suicidal deaths resounded in the ongoing Budget Session of the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday too.
Like Tuesday, normal functioning of the House also got disrupted on Wednesday due to furore following which Speaker Niranjan Pujari had to adjourn it till 3 pm, till 4 pm, till 5 pm and consequently for the day. It will re-assemble on Thursday.
Same was the situation on Tuesday and the House had been adjourned till today (Wednesday).
Soon after the Question Hour, Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra raised the serious issue of farmers’ pathetic condition in the State in the Zero Hour alleging apathetic and lackadaisical attitude of the incumbent State Government led by BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Congress legislators led by party Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati rushed to the well of the House and raised anti-government slogans.
While on Tuesday the House got adjourned for the day demanding due compensation to the farmers for crop loss and distress sale, the unfortunate suicidal death of a distressed farmer from Bargarh district in western Odisha on Tuesday got echoed in the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday.
In his media reactions, Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra said, “If at all the ruling BJD admits farmer’s suicide, I should thank them. But instead of remaining limited to mere lip service, they should better act religiously on the serious issue. The farmer has committed suicide due to crop loss should be agreed upon. Compensation should be announced. Last year Bargarh district recorded maximum farmer suicides. Both the Chief Minister and Prime Minister had toured Bargarh following such unfortunate incidents. But, no remedial measure was taken. Now yet again farmer suicide has resumed in 2017 while the Government is a mute spectator. The most unfortunate thing I marked today is that BJP, despite being in the opposition, did not protest against the issue or raised voice.”
BJP MLA Pradeep Purohit from Padampur assembly segment in Bargarh district in his reactions said, “Today during the Question Hour agriculture was the topic of discussion. The issue of farmer suicide would have been raised in the House. Chief Minister himself was present. But, ruling BJD and Congress have entered into a clandestine alliance and conspired to disrupt the House proceedings for which the Congress members resorted to uproar. Had it not been, the Government would have been exposed on the farmers’ plight and the Bargarh farmer’s suicide mater had been raised. This Government is visionless on the farmers. We strongly condemn the unholy nexus of ruling BJD and opposition Congress. BJP is always ready to participate in the discussion. Rather Congress and the Government should be take a call.
Bhatli (Bargarh district) BJD MLA Susant Singh said, “The incident has taken place in my constituency. Government is enquiring into the matter to find out the real cause behind it. Farmers are committing suicide, but the real cause behind it need to be ascertained.”
