The law makers across party line were unanimous in their demand on the issue of establishment of a High Court bench in western Odisha on Wednesday and urged the State Government to take necessary steps to fulfill the aspiration of the region even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made a fervent appeal to the agitating lawyers to withdraw their strike with the assurance for a discussion in the first week of October next.
However, the entire opposition Congress and BJP members staged a walkout while the Chief Minister was making a statement in the House intervening in over a three- hour marathon discussion relating to an adjournment motion on the issue that turned to a special discussion.
During the discussion relating to the paralysis of Government offices due to a bandh by the lawyers in western Odisha, the opposition Congress and BJP members warned the Government that if it did not take early steps for establishment of permanent bench of the Odisha High Court in western Odisha, the demand for formation of separate Kosal State would be intensified which would ensure a HC.
The Opposition also extended their full support to the demand and the bandh called by the lawyers. Slamming that the State Government had been taking step motherly attitude towards the western Odisha region, the Opposition said that dilatory tactics was being adopted on the plea of Paul Commission and demanded that the Union Government should be moved with all facts so as to ensure establishment of the HC bench basing on the recommendation of the Justice Yaswant Singh Commission.
However, the Treasury Bench members who favoured the "genuine" demand for a separate HC bench in western Odisha said that the State Government was taking all possible steps to do the needful but they did not support the bandh called by the lawyers.
Intervening in the discussion, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asserted that the State Government was "sensitive" to the demand for a permanent bench of the Odisha High Court in western Odisha and appealed the agitating lawyers' fraternity to withdraw their ongoing strike and allow the normal functioning of the Government offices.
"I appeal to the members of the Central Action Committee (CAC) to call off their strike," Patnaik said, assuring the House that as soon as the urban elections are over and the restrictions imposed by the model code of conduct are lifted, he would call the representatives of the CAC for a discussion in the first week of October to address the very important issue.
In the light of the ongoing agitation at Sambalpur, Sundargarh and other parts of western Odisha, the State Government has made a reference to the State Election Commission seeking its clearance to hold discussions with the CAC formed by the all western Odisha Bar Councils, the Chief Minister stated, adding that having discussions at the present juncture would amount to breach of the model code of conduct.
"We are again moving the SEC to allow the State Government to receive a delegation from the CAC to discuss and resolve the present stalemate," the Chief Minister said.
Admitting that the issue of having a bench of the HC for western Odisha is a long standing demand of the people of that region, Patnaik said, "The State Government is sensitive to the demand and had in fact recommended the case to the High Court earlier.