The Congress members for the second consecutive day on Friday forced an adjournment of the Assembly till Monday demanding resignation of the Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patro for misleading the House and people of the State on Central assistance for relief and reconstruction work. The House could run for only 21 minutes.
The business of the House was totally paralysed as the Congress created ruckus in the Well by putting up demonstration displaying large banners along with anti-Government slogans throughout the day. Trouble started immediately after the House assembled for the day at 10.30 am to take up the Question Hour. As Congress members carrying large banners were preparing to troop into the Well and shouted slogans demanding the resignation of the Revenue Minister, apprehending unruly scene, Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat adjourned the House immediately for 30 seconds.
When the House reassembled at 11.30 am, the Congress members again rushed into the Well with banners amid anti-Government slogans in support of their demand. Some Congress members were seen sitting on a dharna in the Well. But the Treasury Bench members in a counter bid defended the Revenue Minister and raised slogans against the UPA Government, the PM and the UPA chairperson for perpetuating anti-Odisha stance resulting in prevalence of din in the House. Amidst prevailing pandemonium, Amat was forced to adjourn the House for the second time at 11.41 am till 3 pm.
The ruling BJD members, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Pravat Ranjan Biswal, Government Deputy chief whip Sanjaya Dasburma and Government chief whip Pravat Kumar Tripathy alleged that during the last ten years, the Congress -led UPA Government had been neglecting the State in every field whether provision of calamity relief assistance, allocation of funds for development of railways or assistance for the development of the State.
Referring to the recent neglect, they alleged that though the State Government had given two memoranda seeking Rs 5,832 crore to undertake relief and restoration work in 18 Phailin and subsequent flood-affected districts, so far not a single pie had come to the aid of the State. The Centre only released Rs 750 crore in two instalments against the request of the Chief Minister on October 16 to the Prime Minister to provide advance assistance of Rs 1,000 crore. The Revenue Minister had given the statement as per the available information, they said.
Questioning the justification of the PM equating Odisha with Andhra Pradesh in announcing Central assistance at the rate of Rs 1,000 for calamity relief assistance, they regretted that while Phailin and subsequent floods had hit 18 districts of Odisha, in Andhra Pradesh only one district was affected. When the House again assembled at 3 pm, again uproar ruled the roost as the Congress members continued their demonstration in the Well. However unmindful of the agitation, the Speaker continued the business and asked the Health and Energy Ministers to lay the annual reports. Even though Friday was Private Members Business day, the Speaker had asked the Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Damodar Rout to introduce the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Bill, 2013. However, the Speaker finally had adjourn the House for the day at 3.10 pm till 10.30 am on Monday as his fervent appeal to participate in the business and bring normalcy fell flat on the Opposition Congress members. The Congress later held a protest dharna near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Assembly premises.
later, leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh and Opposition chief whip Prasad Harichandan said that Minister Patro had deliberately misled the House by suppressing acceptance of Rs 1,000 crore thereby instigating the people against the Union Government. Harichandan alleged that the BJD Government had been hoodwinking the people of the State by spreading misinformation of Central neglect during the last 14 years to cling on to power. leader of Opposition Singh described the statement of the Revenue Minister as "an act of treason", demanded an apology from him and his resignation.