After Campus Poll, Oppn Fires Hooch Tragedy Salvo At BJP Govt; Odisha Assembly Adjourned Till 4PM

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned till 4 pm for the second consecutive day on Wednesday as pandemonium prevailed with the Opposition stalling the proceedings over the hooch tragedy in Ganjam district.

Soon after the House assembled, BJD and Congress MLAs trooped into the well demanding a RDC-level probe into the incident that claimed one life while 14 others taken ill after allegedly consuming spurious country liquor are still under treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.

The Congress MLAs also demanded protection of the rights of the marginalised sections of the society.

Speaker Surama Padhy initially adjourned the proceedings till 11.30 am and again till 4 pm as the House continued to witness acrimonious scenes.

After a 19-day recess, the second phase of the Assembly’s Budget session had begun on a stormy note on Tuesday as the Opposition Congress created a ruckus in the House over students’ union elections in the state. The BJD members were also on their feet to draw attention of the government over expunging the demand for arrest of leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik for leading a walkout during the Governor’s address on July 22, status report the assault of a Raj Bhavan staff by the Governor’s son, and announcement of 10 per cent reservation for Agniveers in all uniformed services of the state by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi while the Assembly was in session.

This session of the Assembly, which will continue till September 13, will focus primarily on budgetary demands of different departments. and discussion over the Rs 2.65 lakh crore budget for the 2024-25 fiscal presented by Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, who holds the finance portfolio, on July 25, 2024.

On Wednesday, the Assembly was scheduled to discuss issues related to Agriculture and Farmer’s Empowerment, Food Supply and Rural Welfare, Energy, Cooperatives, Fisheries and Livestock, Textile Industry, Handicrafts and Handicrafts, MSME, Science and Technology departments.