Bhubaneswar: Ruling BJD legislators wore facemasks of Jayi Rajaguru in the Odisha Assembly on Monday, demanding declaration of the Paika Rebellion as the First War of Independence.
BJD MLAs staged a dharna near the Gandhi statue on the Assembly premises in support of their demand after the House was adjourned.
The BJP and Congress, which have disrupted House proceedings since the Winter Session began on December 1 till their demand for a CBI probe into the Mamita Meher murder case and dismissal of Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra is met, called the BJD protest an attempt to deflect attention from the Opposition demand.
Protesting Opposition MLAs have forced Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro to repeatedly adjourn the House since the Winter Session began.
On Monday also, Patro adjourned House proceedings till 4 pm after Opposition MLAs trooped into the Well and created ruckus.
On Monday, Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati, who last week arrived dressed as a priest and sprinkled holy water in the House as he claimed Mishra’s presence in the Assembly had made it “impure, and party leader Suresh Routray along with other Opposition MLAs trooped into the Well with placards and raised slogans.
The BJP and Congress have said that the House will not be allowed to run despite a video statement by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the Mamita Meher case.
