The State Assembly on Thursday witnessed pandemonium as Opposition members opposed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s absence in the House and subsequently ruling BJD members raised the Central neglect issues through a Motion.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Opposition Chief Whip Taraprasad Bahinipati alleged that the Chief Minister used to skip debates in the House. Then he and other Congress members rushed into Well of the House and demanded a ruling from the Chair on the matter. Bahinipati was seen standing on the Reporters’ Table.
At this time, BJP members were standing at their respective tables protesting the Chief Minister’s absence.
As Congress members didn’t move back to their tables, Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourned the House at 11.38 am till 12 noon.
When the House reassembled at 12 noon, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said as leader of the House, Patnaik should remain present in the Assembly during discussions on important issues.
“The leader of the House should listen and intervene in the matters relating to the State. Authorising some other Ministers to speak on behalf of the Chief Minister is a parliamentary practice. But, it should not be a regular practice,” Mishra said.
He alleged that the Chief Minister has not even been responding to the matters relating to the departments like Works, Water Resources and others being held by him. “We expect that the Chief Minister will remain present and participate in the debate on the alleged Central negligence to the State,” Mishra said.
In his ruling, Speaker Niranjan Pujari said, “As the Government is a collective responsibility, authorising any Minister to speak on behalf of the Government is a parliamentary practice.”Thereafter, a Motion on Central neglects presented by the ruling BJD was discussed.
Participating in the discussion, ruling members alleged that both the earlier UPA Governemt and the present BJP-led NDA Government have neglected Odisha in payment of assistances. They said the Centre has already shown partial attitude by giving assistances to five States before submission of calamity reports whereas it is sending only investigating teams to Odisha after natural disasters.
“Odisha has received only Rs 2442 crore against total demand of Rs 26,207 towards calamity reliefs in the last 14 years,” ruling members said.
However, both BJP and Congress members refuted this charge. “The State Government has not been able to utilise Central funds. In last six years, Central assistance of Rs 6,000 crore has been refunded,” said BJP MlA Pradip Purohit.
Similarly, Congress MlA Chiranjib Biswal refuted the charge. BJD members too raised Polavaram and fund cut in Centrally Sponsored Scheme issues.