Bhubaneswar: The second day of the Budget Session of Odisha Assembly witnessed uproarious scenes over alleged malpractices in paddy procurement and deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
As soon as the House assembled for the day at 10.30 am, Opposition BJD and Congress members created a ruckus and rushed into the well. The BJD legislators questioned the closure of mandis as Congress MLAs attempted to corner the government over deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Unable to conduct the proceedings amid the protests inside the well, Speaker Surama Padhy at 10.34 am adjourned the House till noon.
When House was reconvened at noon, the BJD MLAs continued shouting slogans against ‘katni-chanti’, closure of mandis and irregularities in paddy procurement and again trooped into the well. They also ignored the Speaker’s plea to return to their seats while assuring that they could raise their concerns during the adjournment motion.
The Question Hour, Zero Hour, and the adjournment motion could not be taken up due to the protests.
Outside the Assembly, BJD MLA Ganeswar Behera and Gautam Buddha Das slammed the government for the chaos at mandis. They further claimed that around 14 farmers had committed suicide in the state due to crop loss.
Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati also criticised the Mohan Majhi government for the rise in crimes against women in the state, while referring the gang-rape of a tribal girl.
Bhatli MLA from BJP Irasish Acharya, however, turned the table on the Opposition blaming them for deliberately stalling the House. He condemned the Opposition members for avoiding debate on important issues.
The Budget Session of the Assembly commenced on February 13. It will be held in two phases – from February 13 to 21 and from March 7 to April 5. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who holds the finance portfolio, will present the full budget for the second time on February 17.
