Both the opposition Congress and BJP on Monday created uproar in the State Assembly over police action against their activists during a demonstration before the Chief Minister’s residence Naveen Nivas and merciless beating of media men on duty.
As the demonstration continued in the well of the House with the opposition members demanding an immediate statement of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on both the issues, Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat was forced to adjourn the House before the scheduled time by passing demands for grants relating to 20 departments for the year 2013-14 through guillotine within ten minutes time at 6.10 pm. Due to the din,the House could only run for 35 minutes in the post lunch sitting only.
While the Chhatra Congress activists were demanding resignation of Higher Education Minister Badrinaryan Patra on the issue of question paper leak in the ongoing Plus II Examinations and the arrest of the former law Minister Raghunath Mohanty for inflicting dowry torture on his daughter in-law, the BJP Mahila Morcha also organised a demonstration before the Naveen Nivas violating the prohibitory orders in protest against the Chief Minister for shielding former Minister Mohanty.
When the House assembled to take up the business in the afternoon session, both the Congress and BJP members trooped into the well shouting slogans against the Government and the Chief Minister.
Besides, the Congress members also raised the issue of the assault on the Congress men inside the Congress Bhawan and resorting to vandalism inside the party office.
The agitated members of both the Congress and the BJP urged the Speaker to direct the Chief Minister to come to the House and make a statement on the incident. The Opposition also drew the attention of the Speaker on the incident of the mercilessly beating of the journalists by the police who had gathered before the Naveen Nivas while the demonstration was on. They also referred to the boycott of the media men of the House proceeding in the Press Gallery in protest against the police action on their fellow members.
Since the Speaker tried to carry out the business to transact the call attention motions and the passing of the demand for grants, the Opposition members in the well cried hoarse and created ruckus by thumping the podium and shouting slogans. Finding it difficult, the Speaker first adjourned the House at 5.25 pm till 6 pm.
When the House resumed at 6pm, there was no change in the situation, as the agitating members continued pandemonium in the well. However,the Speaker Pradip Moharathy requested the boycotting media persons to attend the Press gallery to cover the proceedings following the assurance from the Government Chief Whip that the Government would take necessary steps in the incident of police atrocity on the journalists.