Bhubaneswar: The Budget Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly was adjourned twice on the second day on Tuesday – once soon after the proceedings of the House started and again at 12:00 noon, as the Opposition parties created a ruckus attacking the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over the probe into the Naba Das murder case and the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state.
Immediately after the proceedings of the House began with Question Hour, Congress MLAs rushed near the Speaker’s podium and raised slogans against the government. They were joined by the BJP members, who stormed into the well of the House with banners demanding justice for Naba Das and the investigation be handed over to the CBI.
The Opposition also condemned the government on the law and order situation in Odisha.
The ruling BJD lawmakers also showed banners and raised slogans against the Centre over farmers’ issues and the free distribution of rice among the poor in the state.
In fact, Question Hour witnessed a mêlée between the BJD and the Opposition inside the Assembly.
As a result of the pandemonium, Speaker Bikram Kesari Arukh adjourned the proceedings of the House till 11.30 am.
Later, BJP Chief Whip Mohan Majhi told the media, “We had requested the Speaker to discuss the Naba Das’ murder as ‘motion’. But, the Speaker did not accept our demands. This is a sensitive case and needs to be investigated thoroughly. We do not have any hope on the Crime Branch as the history of CB shows it that they have never successfully cracked any case.”
Pandemonium prevailed inside the House after it assembled for the second time in the day at 11:30 am. Responding to the allegations of the Opposition, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is also the Home Minister of Odisha, read out a statement on the progress of the probe into the Naba Das murder case and said that the Crime Branch will seek the help of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in this case. He presented a detailed account of the progress of the probe and requested the members of the House not to politicise the issue.
The House was adjourned for the day after the Chief Minister’s statement.
