Bhubaneswar: The monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly, commencing from Thursday, is likely to be stormy with the Opposition training guns at the Mohan Majhi government over acute shortage of fertiliser and increasing crime against women in the state.
After its Legislature Party meeting, the Congress on Wednesday announced that it will also move a no-confidence motion against the BJP government. “People across the state have lost trust in the BJP government. The state government has failed on all fronts, and we have decided to move a non-confidence motion during this session,” Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam told reporters.
He also expressed concern over the brutal murder of a female constable by a policeman in Bhubaneswar and the recent gang rape of a college student in Puri district.
Kadam urged the Congress MLAs to raise the pressing concerns like rising unemployment, farmer distress, law and order, women safety and hold the government accountable. “Many farmers are forced to purchase fertilisers at exorbitant rates from black marketeers. The government has failed to address the issue,” said the three-time MLA from Pottangi in Koraput district.
The tribal leader also criticised the state government for reneging on its promise to hold the students’ union elections.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das said that Odisha is witnessing rapes, gang rapes, atrocities on women, Dalits, tribals, while farmers are being denied fertiliser. “We condemn all these incidents and hold the government responsible for the crimes against the women. Though the chief minister himself is in charge of the home department, still the women are being assaulted, killed and raped,” he said.
‘Short but politically crucial’
BJD president and Opposition leader Naveen Patnaik also launched a sharp attack on the BJP government during the Legislature Party meeting this evening, setting the tone for the upcoming Assembly session.
Naveen described the monsoon session as short but politically crucial. “In the last three and a half months, the inefficiency and apathy of the so-called double engine government in various areas such as women’s safety, fertiliser supply and protection of farmers’ interests, are becoming increasingly apparent,” the former chief minister said.
He alleged that law and order in Odisha has “completely collapsed,” pointing to the alarming rise in atrocities against women, and highlighted the “man-made crisis” in fertiliser supply. He also called the government’s move to enhance the financial powers of Panchayati Raj officers as an attempt to “destroy democratic values for political gain.”
Naveen further demanded accountability for the chaos and stampede during the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath. “The BJP government has failed in every sector and is only engaging in false propaganda,” he said, adding that the BJD would take “strong and decisive action” in the Assembly to safeguard farmers, women, democratic institutions, and the Odia identity.
The session will continue till September 25 with a break on Sunday.