The State Assembly on Thursday witnessed frequent adjournments as the Congress Members kept demanding smooth functioning of the House and the BJP members protesting disruptions created by Congress members during the time they raised important issues.
Raising an issue during the Zero Hour, Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra said that the House is not functioning as per rules of procedures of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.
“The Members are raising Point of Orders during Question Hour and Ministers are reading out written copies in violation of rules of procedures. The Ministers are also not responding to questions raised by Members during the demand discussions,” alleged Mishra.
He requested Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro to convene a Business Advisory Committee meeting soon to sort out the issue.
As the Speaker didn’t give any ruling and called other Members to raise their issues, Congress Members, Santosh Singh Saluja and
Tara Prasad Banipati alleged that they were not being allowed to speak in order to avoid the issue raised by Mishra.
In the meantime, BJP Member Bishnu Charan Sethi was speaking about the nonpayment of insurance claims to farmers of Sambalpur and non-procurement of paddy at Mandis in western Odisha.
Getting no response from the Speaker, Congress members rushed into the Well of the House and shouted slogans.
Amid sloganeering, Sethi, who was still speaking about farmers’ issues, complained that disruptions were being created in the House knowingly in order to stop BJP Members from raising important issues. Soon, all BJP Members trooped into the Well of the House and shouted slogans.
Unable to run the proceedings, the Speaker adjourned the House at 12.06 am for 15 minutes first. As no improvement was marked following two more adjournments, Speaker Patro called an all party meeting and adjourned the House again at 12.52 pm till 3 pm.