Bhubaneswar, July 23 (FN Agency) Opposition BJD and Congress members in the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday stalled the business of the house over the alleged assault of a government official by Governor Raghubar Das’s son. The house witnessed pandemonium during both the pre-lunch and post-lunch sessions as BJD and Congress members trooped into the well of the house, shouting slogans and demanding action against the Governor’s son for allegedly assaulting a government official in Puri Raj Bhawan on July 7. Speaker Surama Padhi appealed to the opposition members to cooperate with the business of the house, but the opposition remained adamant in their stand and continued their slogan shouting in support of their demand. The Speaker first adjourned the house a few minutes after it was assembled for the day at 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM, and then again till 4 PM.
The situation remained unchanged during the post-lunch session when the house reassembled at 4 PM to debate the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address, moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling. BJD members Jogesh Singh and Dhruba Sahu rushed to the podium and attempted to snatch the microphone from the Speaker but were prevented by the Assembly security staff. Soon, the house plunged into complete chaos, forcing Speaker Surama Padhi to adjourn the house for the day till 10:30 AM on Wednesday at 4:28 PM. The trouble started right from the beginning when the house assembled at 10:30 AM to take up the question hour. Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik raised the issue of the Governor’s son and demanded action against him for assaulting a government official. Soon, BJD members trooped into the well of the house, raised slogans on “Odisha Asmita (Pride)” and demanded the arrest of the Governor’s son for assaulting a government official. Speaker Surama Padhi tried to pacify the opposition BJD members, but they continued their slogan shouting inside the well. Finding no other option, the Speaker adjourned the house till 11:30 AM.
When the house reassembled after the adjournment at 11:30 AM, BJD members again rushed to the well and raised slogans in support of their demand. The house soon plunged into a ruckus, with the opposition insisting on their demand to take action against the Governor’s son. Treasury bench members Jayanarayan Mishra and Tankadhar Tripathy, however, countered the opposition BJD members, stating that the law and order situation during the tenure of the BJD government in the state was more grave, and said the BJD had no moral right to raise the law and order and Odia Asmita issues. The Speaker, unable to control the situation, again adjourned the house at 11:36 AM till 4 PM. Due to the ruckus in the house, the question hour, zero hour, and adjournment motions were washed out, and the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address could not be moved. When the house reassembled at 4 PM, the opposition BJD and Congress members rushed to the well, shouted slogans against the government, and disrupted the proceedings of the house.
In the melee, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling moved the motion of thanks on the address of the Governor, which was seconded by Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. Initiating the debate, Mahaling came down heavily on Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik for disrupting the Governor’s address to the house on Monday and said what Naveen Patnaik did is punishable under the law, demanding his arrest for obstructing the Governor’s address to the house. He also slammed the opposition BJD members for raising the Odia Asmita (Pride) issue in the house, stating that the BJD had no moral right to raise the issue as their party leader Naveen Patnaik failed to write and speak in Odia despite ruling the state for 24 years. As pandemonium prevailed in the house, with the opposition BJD and Congress members occupying the well and shouting slogans against the government, the Speaker finally adjourned the house at 4:28 PM till 10:30 AM on Wednesday.
The opposition BJD and Congress members on Monday boycotted the address of Governor Raghubar Das to the house, alleging that law and order had collapsed in the state and criticizing the government for not taking any action against the son of the Governor, whom they alleged had assaulted a government official. As soon as the Governor started his address to the house, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik stood up and said he and his party were disappointed that the present government has taken no action against the son of the Governor, who had assaulted a government official. He demanded that the state government must act according to the law. The opposition BJD members then walked out of the house over the issue. The Congress members also raised the issue and boycotted the Governor’s address.