The State Assembly couldn’t conduct the Question Hour for consecutive eight day on Tuesday as ruling members kept demanding arrest of former MP Baijayant Panda and his aide Abhijit Iyer Mitra for flying a helicopter over Chilika lake, Opposition Congress protested deadlock in justice system and BJP members continued demanding CBI inquiry into sapling and Omfed scams.
As the House assembled, BJD MLAs raised slogans against Panda and his aides who had allegedly flown closely over Chilika lake, Konark Sun Temple and Puri Jagannath Temple.
On the other hand, Congress and BJP members rushed into the Well of the House and raised their respective demands. Unable to run the House, Speaker Pradeep Kumar Amat adjourned the proceedings at 10.30 am till 11.30 am.
As the House reassembled, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra demanded that the Government intervene into the deadlock of justice system due to lawyers’ protests and see that the Odisha High Court functions normally. “The Orissa High Court has almost remained closed for 20 days due to lawyers’ protests across the State. While justice delivery system has been stopped, it is disappointing that the Government has remained silent.
The Government should intervene and see that the High Court functions and no deadlock in judicial system,” demanded Mishra.
Raising the issue of a non-Odia person giving derogatory remarks on the Sun Temple, Mishra said the statement has hurt the sentiments of people of Odisha irrespective of party affiliations. “It is disastrous that a top politician of the State took the person to Sun Temple. The person’s comment is unwarranted and deplorable and I condemn it,” said Mishra.
He demanded stringent action against the accused.
BJD member Sanjay Dasburma said his party would never tolerate if the the statement spread in a video made by Abhijit Aiyar Mitra is true. He too demanded that stringent action be taken against Panda for flying a helicopter over Chilika lake and carrying Abhijit with him.
BJP Legislature Party Leader KV Singh Deo and Pradeep Purohit also said the comment is unwarranted. However, they said the BJD is deepening the matter in order to divert the attention of people over sapling and Omfed scams.
Earlier, BJD members holding banners had sat at the Mahatama Gandhi statue demoing arrest of Panda and Mitra.