Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly on Monday witnessed a huge ruckus by the opposition Biju Janata Dal and Indian National Congress members over different issues.
As soon as the proceedings began in the house on Monday, the legislators of opposition parties were seen shouting anti-government slogans by holding placards near the speaker’s podium. The pandemonium forced speaker Surama Padhy to adjourn the house first till 12.09 pm and later till 1 pm. However, as the opposition continued to create uproar in the house, Padhy later again adjourned the house till 4 pm in the afternoon.
The BJD MLAs created a massive uproar in the house over the alleged controversial and divisive remarks by senior BJP leader and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra during an official programme in Sambalpur on March 8.
While speaking during the event, Mishra stated that the integration of the Koshal region (the Western part of the state) with Odisha was a ‘historic blunder’.
Speaking to media persons, senior BJD leader Ranendra Pratap Swain said: “Disrespect was shown to the state anthem ‘Bande Utkal Janani’ in the presence of the state cabinet minister Rabi Narayan Naik and Jayanarayan Mishra, who was the ex-Leader of Opposition and now a senior member of this house. This is a very serious offence against the state. We will never tolerate disrespect to the state anthem and the people of Odisha and condemn this.”
Swain also condemned the statement of Mishra and said that the BJP leader had made an unpardonable mistake during the event by saying that it was a historic mistake of western Odisha to integrate into the state. The BJD leader stated that his remark was downright condemnable.
“The statement by Mishra intending to divide Odisha reflected the divisive politics of BJP which it follows at the centre. It is a disrespect to the great men like Madhusudan Das, Gopabandhu Das and other lakhs of our ancestors who fought for a united Odisha,” noted Swain.
The BJD legislators also held a protest under the statue of Madhusudan Das inside the Assembly campus over the issue.
The principal opposition demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi clarifying the state government’s stand on the issue on the floor of the house.
On the other hand, the Congress legislators continued their protest against the state government in the state assembly over the alleged rise in the incidents of violence against women in the state during the last eight months under the BJP-led state government.
“The state government has been given a long period of nine months. However, various incidents of crime against women in the state are on the rise. The girl students are also not safe in the schools. We have been raising our voice in the house over the women’s safety but the government is not giving any heed to this,” said Congress MLA Sofia Firdous.
She said the Congress is holding protests on the issue both inside and outside the assembly. Firdous said the Odisha Congress is holding protests at district collectors’ offices across the state. She said the party leaders will also submit memorandums after the protest on the issue.
(IANS)
