The State Assembly was on Thursday adjourned frequently as Congress members created kept demanding a one-hour discussion on the hike of petrol and diesel prices.
Though ruling BJD member Pratap Jena had first raised the issue during Zero Hour demanding rollout of the Central cess on petrol and diesel, the Congress joined him later but with one more demand that the State Government withdraw its VAT on oil too.
Jena had appealed to Congress members to support his party’s concern over the price rise of petrol by Rs 3.07 paise per litre and Rs 1.90 paise per litre of diesel enforced from Wednesday night. He said that price hike of petrol and diesel would ultimately hit the common man.
His party colleagues Mahesh Sahoo and Priyadarshi Mishra too raised their voice on the issue and demanded an immediate rollback of the Central Cess hike on petroleum products.
Congress MlA Chiranjib Biswal supported Jena and demanded that both the Union Government and State Government withdraw their respective taxes on petrol and diesel to give respite to the common men.
Then Congress Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati joined him and demanded an hour’s discussion in the House. As Deputy Speaker Sananda Marandi didn’t listen to him and called for Adjournment Motion discussion, Bahinipati along with his party colleagues rushed to the Well of the House and tried to climb up the Speaker’s podium. They too shouted slogans against Marandi. Unable to run the House, Marndi adjourned the House for 15 minutes twice till 12.47 pm and then till 3 pm.
When the House reassembled in the afternoon, discussion on Motion of Thanks to Governor’s speech continued amid accusations by opposition members. While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik gave his views on Governor’s address, Congress members staged a walk out in protest. The House passed the Motion in absence of Congress members.