Union Minister of State for Planning Rajiv Sukla’s reply in the Rajya Sabha on the issue of disqualification of Odisha to get special category State (SCS) status sparked widespread protest by the ruling BJD which forced adjournments of the Assembly on Friday without transacting any business. Due to the unruly behaviour of the BJD members, the House in the fourth day of the monsoon session ran for only four minutes as the Opposition stared at the Chair and cried hoarse.
Besides paralysing the House, the BJD members also staged a dharana in protest near the Mahatma Gandhi statue against the Union Government’s negative attitude towards Odisha and later organised a march to the Raj Bhawan seeking the intervention of Governor SC Jamir for immediate revision in the criteria for determining backwardness of States and confer SCS on Odisha.
As the House assembled to transact the business for the day at 10.30 am and Deputy Speaker Sanad Marndi started the Question Hour, the Treasury Bench members en masse, in a rare display of misconduct, stood on their seats and shouted anti-Center slogans demanding grant of SCS to Odisha.
They also displayed large banners and placards, which read ‘Special category status is our right and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rajiv Suklha hai, hai.’
As Health Minister Damodar Rout was asked to reply the first question, the irate BJD members intensified their slogans creating a din in the House and forced the Deputy Speaker to adjourn the House just after around one minutes till 12.30 pm at one go after the start of the sitting.
The incident happened in a quick succession as the Opposition Congress and BJP members stared in dismay.
As there was no change in the attitude of the ruling party members who this time rushed into the well shouting at high pitch amid anti-Center slogans, the Chair for the second time adjourned the House till 3 pm at 12.32 pm without taking up the Opposition sponsored adjournment notice relating to ‘lack of sincerity on the part of the BJD Government for getting SCS for Odisha.’
later, when the House reassembled in the post lunch session at 3 pm, the BJD law makers led by Ranendra Patap Swain again trooped into the well along with the women members and started slogans and displayed placards before the Speaker’s podium. Some Ministers present were heard shouting slogans as well.
Even some members in a bid to stop the Deputy Speaker to conduct the proceedings made abortive attempt to reach atop the podium. Consequently, the House witnessed another forced adjournment for the day at 3.01 pm.
However, after the first adjournment, the Treasury Bench members along with Ministers held a protest dharana near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Assembly premises and took out a ‘Raj Bhawan March.’
A delegation of the ruling party law makers led by Panchayati Raj Minister Kalpataru Das met Governor SC Jamir and handed over a memorandum in support of their demand.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dubbing the remark of Union Minister Shukla in the Rajya Sabha as “most unfortunate.” Patnaik categorically said, “We will continue our struggle and fight for the rightful demand of four core people of the State for the grant of the status.”
Meanwhile, BJD MPs on Friday met Chief Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister Raghuram Rajan over special category State (SCS) status to Odisha.
“We apprised Raghuram Rajan of the State's ground reality during our meeting with him and urged him to recommend the Union Government to accord special category status to Odisha,” said MP Rabi Mohapatra.
It may be noted that Rajan, who will soon take over as the Reserve Bank of India Governor, is currently heading the committee formed to determine level of poverty and backwardness of States.