The State Assembly witnessed frequent adjournments on the second day of its ongoing Budget Session on Saturday as Opposition BJP and Congress members trooped into the Well of the House time and again demanding withdrawal of the Speaker’s ruling on Friday that asked media not to report MLAs' protests in the Well.
As the House met, Congress and BJP members demanded that the Speaker reconsider his ruling he had given on Friday. As their demand remained unheeded, they rushed into the Well and shouted slogans.
Unable to run the House, Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro adjourned the House till 11.30 am firsts. As the Opposition members insisted on their demand and shouted slogans like “British Shasan Chaliba Naihin”, “withdraw your ruling”, the Speaker against adjourned the House at 11.34 pm till 3 pm.
In the afternoon, Opposition members too raised the issue time and again.
Patro adjourned the House five times till 6.54 pm before which he chaired an all-party meeting to resolve the issue.
The House functioned normally only after the all-party meeting when the Speaker said his ruling was meant for a day, i.e. Friday only.
He also assured that concerned departmental officers would remain present in the Officers’ Gallery during discussions. He directed that the Chief Secretary would ensure officers’ presence.
While due to Opposition members’ protests, Question Hour, Zero Hour and an Adjournment Motion could not be transacted, the discussion of the Governor’s Address was held after normalcy was restored.
Initiating discussion, Opposition Leader (BJP) Pradipta Kumar Naik severely criticised the State Government saying untrue information was provided by it in the House.
Law and order situation has worsened in the State with the rising incidents of violence against women. Youths are being forced to go outside the
State as the Government has failed in providing jobs to them. Farmers have gone for distress sale as the Government has failed in procuring paddy from them.
There are no teachers in schools and doctors in hospitals.