The State Assembly on Tuesday witnessed frequent adjournments and could not conduct normal businesses as BJP members protested in the House alleging that the democratic system has been paralysed in the House due to a secret link between the opposition Congress and the ruling BJD.
As the House met, BJP members rushed into the Well of the House and shouted slogans like “Vidhanshabhare ganatantra hatya kala kie, BJD-Congress aau kie” and “BJD-Congress hai hai”.
Even as Minister Surjya Narayan Patro was replying to a question of Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipti, he was not clearly audible due to the BJP members’ sloganeering.
Unable to run the proceedings, Speaker Pradeep Kumar Amat adjourned the House at 10.35 am till 11.30am.
The BJP members too continued the protest when the House reassembled, shouting slogans. This time, the speaker called for an all-party meeting and suspended the proceedings for 10 minutes at 11.34 and then for two times till 3 pm. During afternoon hours, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said the BJP’s allegation is a non issue and for that the valuable time of the House should not have been lost. “In this House, the Congress supported the BJP and the BJD and vice versa when State issues have been raised against the Union Government and the State Government. It doesn’t mean that the Congress joined the two parties,” Mishra said, remarking that the BJP’s allegation was a nonissue.
He said the BJP supported the issues raised by the Congress vis-Ã -vis increase in paddy MSP in the House. Does it mean that BJP joined hands with the Congress, wanted to know Mishra.
“I treat leaders as friends. As the Leader of Opposition, I also stood by the Brajarajnagar MLA who was once humiliated by none other than a Minister in this house,” said Mishra.
Mishra said he met and congratulated BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik soon after 2014 elections for the latter’s winning and has appreciated KV Singh Deo and other BJP MLAs many times, which does not mean that the Congress joined hands with them.
He made it clear that he now serves the Congress and will be serving the Congress till his last breath.
Later, BJP MLA Rabi Naik alleged that the Congress along with the ruling party is not allowing the House to function and obstructing BJP MLAs from highlighting problems faced by the people of the State.