Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was rocked by uproarious scenes amid demonstrations by opposition Congress MLAS over crimes against women in the state.
The Assembly proceedings were disrupted virtually throughout the day as the Congress legislators created pandemonium since morning, leading to adjournment of the House several times.
Uproar in the House in the morning session promoted Speaker Surama Padhy to call an all-party meeting after multiple adjournments failed to normalise the situation.
As soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour, the agitating Congress MLAs trooped into the Well and attempted to climb the speaker’s podium.
Clad in black dresses, the Congress MLAs members beat gongs and blew flutes and whistles to draw the attention of the speaker, seeking a ruling on the formation of a House Committee to probe into crimes against women in the state.
Unable to run the House, the speaker adjourned the proceedings for an hour till 11.30 am.
After the assembly reassembled, the protests continued and the speaker adjourned the proceedings for another 30 minutes till 12 pm.
She also convened an all-party meeting in an attempt to normalise the situation.
Similar noisy scenes were witnessed in the House during the post-lunch session, leading to adjournment of proceedings initially by 30 minutes.
The House has been rocked by protests on the issue over the last few days.
Senior Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati, who was suspended for a week during a similar agitation over the issue, returned to the assembly and led the opposition demonstration.
“We will continue to protest inside and outside the assembly over violence against women till a House Committee is formed,” Congress legislature party leader Rama Chandra Kadam said.
Bahinipati alleged that the state government was making all efforts to suppress the voice of the opposition in the assembly.
“I was suspended for seven working days for demanding the formation of a House Committee,” he said.
Senior BJD member Arun Kumar Sahoo said MLAs of his party protested in the House over the decision to restrict the press from taking pictures and videos of the opposition’s demonstration in the assembly.
“This act is against the basics of democracy. The people have the right to know how their representatives raise issues in the House. However, the BJP government has restricted the press from taking pictures and videos of opposition members,” he alleged.
