Bedlam In Odisha Assembly For 5Th Day Over Quota, Censure Motion Against BJD MLAs

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned till 4 pm for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday amid acrimonious scenes  after a censure motion was passed against two BJD legislators for their unruly behaviour towards Speaker Surama Padhy the previous day.

Earlier in the day, BJD and Congress MLAs trooped into the well and threw leaflets over reservation issue during Zero Hour even as BJP accused the Opposition of misbehaving with the Speaker and demanded an apology, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for an hour. 

Government chief whip Saroj Pradhan brought the censor motion against BJD MLAs Romancha Biswal and Madhab Dhada, who attempted to climb atop the Speaker’s podium with some other members assisting them after Opposition legislators rushed to the well of the House on Friday to draw attention to the recent hooch tragedy in Ganjam district.

When the House reassembled, the Opposition continued sloganeering against the government for failing to implement reservations for SC/ST and OBC as per the population count.

“In Odisha, 54% of the population belong to OBC while around 40% are from SC/ST communities. But reservations have not been made accordingly. They are not getting due reservation in technical and medical institutes,” CLP leader Rama Chandra Kadam told reporters, while demanding caste census and OBC commission in the state.

He also threatened to take the agitation to the streets if their demands are not met.

Speaking to the media, BJD MLA Arun Sahoo said the SC/ST are getting 20% reservation in the ongoing admission to 2,200 MBBS seats while they deserve 38.75%. “There is no reservation for OBC/SEBC in engineering, medical and general educational institutes. Though they deserve 27%, the government should at least implement 11.25% reservation for them in technical and professional courses as is the case with jobs,” he said.

The Opposition termed the censure motion amid the quota demand as unfortunate and reminded the ruling BJP of the dal throwing incident involving the then MLA and current CM Mohan Charan Majhi and fellow BJP legislator Mukesh Mahaling in 2023 when a woman Speaker was on her seat.