The recently-concluded Monsoon Session of the State Assembly, which was of 11 days only, could not conduct Question Hours, Adjournment Motions and discussions on Bills due to continued stalemates created by Opposition Congress and BJP, and even by the ruling BJD. But as many as nine Bills, including land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill and Odisha Police Bill, were passed in absence of the Opposition. The Opposition boycotted the Assembly for the last two days alleging that the House was running undemocratically and unconstitutionally and they were not being given due weightage. To know whether the Government was satisfied with the way the House ran and the Bills were passed sans Opposition, Pabitra Senapaty of The Pioneer spoke to Government Chief Whip Anant Das.
Do you think the Monsoon Session ran smoothlyIJ
Not fully smoothly. It is because the Opposition members did not cooperate in running the House. Had they provided full cooperation, all people-centric issues would have been discussed. The Assembly runs with all members belonging to both Opposition and Treasury Benches participating in it. But if the scheduled programmes are taken into account, all of them have been taken up and, and, thus, the objective of the session was fulfilled.
What’s your view on Opposition’s boycott for the last two daysIJ
The Assembly is convened for discussion on various issues concerning people and the State. Members of both Opposition and Treasury Benches are duty-bound to hold discussions. The Opposition members should have participated in all programmes and kept their views. I don’t want to comment whether they did right or wrong by boycotting the House, but my personal opinion (not my party’s) is that no-work, no-pay system should be enforced in the House for all members. I feel so because people have sent us (MlAs) to the Assembly as their representatives to raise their issues and get them resolved.
How do you see passing of Bills in the Assembly in Opposition members’ absenceIJ
They remained absent on their own. We had not driven them away from the House. Rather, we, by the direction of the Speaker, approached them time and again to come to the House and participate in discussions. The Assembly passed nine important Bills, including the land Grabbing Prohibition Bill and the Police Bill, in the interest of people.
The Opposition alleged that House ran undemocratically and unconstitutionally and even urged the Governor to intervene. What’s your opinionIJ
It is not true. We have all been democratically elected to the House, a Constitutional setup. Though they are a minor group, they have a great role to play in effectively running the House. The Naveen Patnaik Government respects their views. Our repeated requests to them to come to the House substantiate it.
Would you say Opposition played a constructive role this timeIJ
You people (columnists and journalists) know better about it. I would only say that Opposition members should have participated in all proceedings. lakhs of rupees are being spent for collecting information to questions put by members. A very bad tradition is being created by disrupting Question Hours.
Who should be blamed for continued stalemates the House witnessedIJ
I don’t want to blame anybody. If the Opposition didn’t cooperate, that is their respective party’s decision. I can only say the stalemates continued for their arrogant attitude. I know that the leaders who don’t raise problems of their areas in Assembly face difficulties in getting reelected in the subsequent election.
Your BJD stalled the House on the second day raising Central neglect issues. Was not it meant to suppress the issues raised by the OppositionIJ
Our party doesn’t compromise on protection of State’s interests. The Centre had said Special Category Status would not be given to Odisha, but there is no restriction in giving special financial assistance. You know the Centre announced (a package of) `1.25 lakh crore to Bihar, which hit headlines in newspapers on August 20. The Centre had even committed to provide financial support to the eastern States. Meanwhile, the Centre has provided huge amounts of funds to Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar and West Bengal, leaving Odisha in the middle. We just can’t sacrifice our State’s interests. Our members protested in the House and staged a dharna before the Mahatma Gandhi statue.