Members of Opposition BJP and Congress and ruling BJD created pandemonium over different issues in the State Assembly on Saturday.
Soon after the House assembled for the day, Opposition members went near the Speaker’s podium and created ruckus over irregularities in paddy procurement in mandis. And BJD members demanded an apology from BJP MLA Subash Chandra Panigrahi for attempting suicide by consuming sanitiser in the Assembly over the paddy procurement issue on Friday.
Ruling party members stood up and protested the act of suicide attempt by Panigrahi. Later, they along with some Ministers rushed to the Well of the House and demanded that the BJP legislator must apologise.
Unable to run the House, Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro adjourned it for two times, first till 11.30 am and then till 4 pm.
The BJD members alleged that Panigrahi desecrated the sanctity of the House by attempting suicide during its proceedings and maintained that they would not let the House run till the BJP MLA apologises.
“We hadn’t witnessed such an instance in the Assembly ever. He (Panigrahi) should immediately apologise for his act,” demanded senior BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deb.
BJD Chief Whip Pramila Mallick said the farmer issue could have been resolved through a debate in the House, but the MLA opted to create a scene by threatening suicide.
On the other hand, Congress and BJP MLAs opposed such a protest by the BJD in the Well of the Assembly. They demanded an apology from the ruling party MLAs.
“This is the first time that Ministers went to the Well of the House and created uproar. We will not allow the House to function until they apologise,” said Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
Opposition Chief Whip Mohan Majhi (BJP) said, “There is no question of apologising. The Speaker has the power; he should take a decision. When the Government didn’t listen to him (Panigrahi), what would he have done? We are having an anti-farmer Government here which never cares for the farmers’ problems.”