Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned twice on Friday following uproar by the Congress and the BJP members over the distress sale of tomatoes in the state.
As soon as the session began, the Congress members rushed to the well of the House giving slogans against the government on the issue of distress sale of tomatoes in the state. Urging the Speaker to initiate a discussion on this issue, Opposition Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati tried to snatch the microphone from the Speaker’s table.
Unable to run the proceedings, the Speaker adjourned the House till 11.30 am.
The House again witnessed uproarious scene at 11.30 am after the Congress members reiterated their demands for discussion in the issue.
Raising the issue, leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra urged the Speaker to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the issue of distress sale of tomatoes. Supporting Mishra, leader of the BJP legislature party KV Singhdeo also demanded all-party meeting.
But as the Speaker refused to comply with their demands, pandemonium prevailed in the House forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House till 3 PM.
Talking to media persons after the House was adjourned, Bahinipati let the Speaker convene an all-party meeting and direct the government to fix the cost of the produce of the farmers.
He made it clear that House cannot run unless the Speaker convenes an all-party meeting.
Lambasting the double standards of the government, he said while this government is talking big on its pro-farmer policy, the fact remains that it is not bothered about the pitiable plight of the farmers.
