After holding the ruling BJD, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the Assembly Speaker responsible for the prevailing impasse in the House, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Prasad Harichandan on Monday hit out at Governor Dr SC Jamir for not intervening in the matter for ensuring smooth conduct of the legislature’s Budget Session.
“The BJD on the strength of a majority is murdering democracy. Odisha perhaps is the only State where discussions on many crucial issues and passing of Bills took place in the absence of the opposition parties. Even the Appropriation Bills have been passed sans Opposition participation in the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and this year too,” rued Harichandan.
Regretting that though the Congress had already brought the undemocratic activities of the ruling party and so also of the Speaker to the notice of the Governor, the State Congress chief said the latter is yet to act on the issue.
“Neither does the Governor summon the Speaker nor does he direct him to run the House Constitutionally. They (BJD) are not allowing the leader of Opposition to speak in the House. The Speaker has turned a mute spectator. Neither the Speaker ensures justice to us nor does the Governor,” lamented Harichandan.
He also recalled a ruling of the then Speaker in 1942, where the Speaker ruled, “It will be improper for the Chair to permit one party who is in power to push through legislation of an important or controversial nature in an ex parte manner.”
Harichandan also denounced the BJD for hitting the streets on the issue of drought aid against the Centre instead of discussing many important matters of the State in the Assembly.
He said the Congress would take to the streets to reach out to people to inform them the manner the ruling party has adopted to gag the voice of democracy and the Constitution.
“We have called a meeting of all DCC presidents on May 18 to chalk out plans in this regard,” said Harichandan.