Even as the Winter Session of the State Assembly began working in a normal way on the fourth day on Friday, it couldn’t run for the day as it was adjourned for the scheduled inauguration of the Hockey World league at the Kalinga Stadium here in the evening.
On the request of members, the Speaker adjourned the House at 12.08 pm till Monday. Assembly calendar shows Saturday is a holiday for Prophet Mohammad’s birthday.
Earlier, the sitting had been adjourned for 15 minutes from 11.45 am till 12 noon over the issue of violence against women raised by leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra.
Mishra said the State has earned a dubious distinction of being ranked third in the country for growing rape cases.
Stating that a three-year-old girl of Rajkanika in Kendrapara district was raped and culprits are still at large, he wanted to know why the police didn’t register a case as per the complaint of the girl’s mother.
“Police are acting on ruling party people’s complaints only,” he alleged. He demanded that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik give a reply in the House as he holds the Home portfolio and bats for women’s safety and security.
But when Opposition Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati said as Chief Minister is unmarried and he can’t know the plights of a family, some BJD members protested.
However, Congress members demanding a direction to the CM for a reply trouped into the Well of the House. The Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
later, on the proposal of Congress MlA Prafulla Majhi and Government Chief Whip Amar Prasad Satpathy, Amat adjourned the House till Monday for the inaugural function of Hockey World league.