The State Assembly was stalled for the second consecutive day on Wednesday over problems relating to farming and farmers as raised by opposition Congress and BJP Members from the very beginning. 

As the House met at 10.30 am, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra wanted to say something but Speaker Pradeep Kumar Amat didn’t allow him and called for conducting the Question Hour. Soon, the Congress and BJP Members holding banners and posters rushed into the Well of the House and shouted slogans against the State Government.

While the Congress Members mentioned about negligence meted out to farmers by the State Government in their banners, the BJP Members wrote about alleged sale of low quality seeds and pesticides.

Unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned it at 10.30 am till 3 pm.

When the House reassembled, the leader of Opposition alleged that adjournment of the House was preplanned to suit ruling party Members’ proposal to meet the Governor over the farmers’ issues.

“As per the calendar of the Assembly, November 28 and 29 were Official Business sittings. However, the House transacted no businesses in the two days. While lakhs of public money is being spent, running of the House this way is meaningless,” said Mishra, staging a walkout with the party MlAs.

BJP legislature Party leader KV Singh Deo too made a similar allegation and staged a walkout along with his party MlAs.  

Meanwhile, ruling BJD Members too demanded hike in paddy MSP in on Wednesday.

After the House was adjourned till 3 pm, they took out a rally from the Assembly premises to the Governor’s House, shouting slogans against the Union Government for not raising paddy MSP to Rs 2,930 per quintal as demanded through a resolution unanimously passed in the State Assembly earlier.

“The Narendra Modi Government only claims to be with farmers. But in reality, it is anti-farmer. It should increase paddy MSP to Rs 2,930 so that farmers can get right prices for their paddy produce,” said former Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak.

On reaching the Governor’s House, they presented a memorandum to Governor Dr SC Jamir urging him to inform the President about the party’s demand.