The State Assembly could not conduct any normal business, except laying of a CAG report, on Monday as opposition Congress and BJP members demanded an apology from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik alleging that women were disrespected at a meeting addressed by the Chief Minister in Sundargarh on Sunday.
As the Assembly met for the day at 10.30 am, Opposition Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati raised the issue and alleged that asking women and girl students to take off black-colour stoles and shawls at the Chief Minister’s rally amounts to disrespect to the women and demanded that the Chief Minister tender an unconditional apology either in the House or outside in the public.
Soon, all Congress and BJP members joined him and insisted on the demand. As Speaker Niranjan Pujari didn’t pay any heed and went for the Question Hour session, the opposition MlAs trouped into the Well of the House and shouted slogans against the Chief Minister.
Unable to run, the Speaker adjourned the House at 10.31 am till 3 pm.
When the House reassembled, leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra said the act of asking women to remove black-colour scarf and saree is highly deplorable and close to outraging their modesty.
“The Article 21 of the Constitution gives right for protection of every citizen’s dignity and respect. Asking women and girl students to remove scarf violates the Constitutional rights. It is highly deplorable and the Chief Minister should tender an apology,” demanded Mishra.
He too wanted to know why the Chief Minister, who always preaches ‘Maaku Samman’, is afraid of black colour.
Stating that an Adjournment Motion on deaths of hundreds of children due to Japanese Encephalitis and other unknown diseases in Malkangiri and other parts of the State given by the Opposition could not be discussed as the House was adjourned for long hours, Mishra suggested to the Speaker to adjourn the House for some time and call a meeting to decide on taking up the motion for discussion and other issues.
Then, the Speaker invited Mishra, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh, Government Chief Whip Anant Das, Opposition Chief Whip Bahinipati and Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat to his chamber for a meeting and adjourned the House for 30 minutes till 3.35 pm.
However, the meeting yielded no positive result as the opposition members continued to stall the House demanding an apology from the Chief Minister again. Subsequently, the House was adjourned till 5 pm when Finance Minister Amat managed to lay the CAG report on General and Social Sector for the year ended March 2015 amid protests.