The Winter Session of the Assembly on the second day on Friday set the tone of faceoff between the Opposition and Treasury Bench for the rest of the sittings.
The House witnessed a placard war amid slogans denigrating each other and particularly, the Congress demonstration in the well forced adjournment for three times over four hours. The House could run for only 23 minutes as chaos prevailed all along. After the House passed an obituary reference motion for former Member Ainthu Sahu, members of both Congress and ruling BJD carrying posters raised slogans against each other leading to a chaotic situation.
While the Congress raised issues like use of money and muscle by the BJD in recently concluded urban local body (UlB) elections, shielding of Bhushan Steels limited despite serious breaches of laws by the plant and burning and death of Tikiri school teacher Itishree Pradhan, the BJD countered the Congress by showing placards protesting Centre’s neglect by not releasing a single pie for post cyclone and flood restoration measures.
When the Speaker carried out the Question Hour by calling Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Damodar Rout to reply the first question, after the obituary reference was over at 10.41am, leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh said the law and order situation had totally worsened in the State and there was no democracy as the ruling party had resorted to purchasing votes in the UlB polls.
He said the atrocities on women had increased and the Government had miserably failed to give protection to the Tikiri Upper Primary School teacher. Singh alleged that the ruling BJD had spent crores of rupees to win the urban elections in nine districts in western Odisha. The ruling party, he said, had paid Rs 5,000 to each voter to win the elections.
The leader of Opposition said Bhushan plant had violated all rules but no action was taken against the company as the office of the Chief Minister and the State Pollution Control Board were protecting the interest of the company. Supporting the leader of Opposition, the Congress members, who were displaying the anti-Government placards, rushed into the well, shouting slogans and demonstrated in front of the Speaker’s podium.
The answer of the Health Minister was drowned in the din. As the agitating Congress members continued their demonstration despite frequent appeals to maintain order, Speaker Pradipta Kumar Amat adjourned the House at 10.43 am till 12 noon. As similar situation continued during the Zero Hour, Deputy Speaker Sanand Marandi in the chair also declared adjournment of the House till 3 pm.
Though the important adjournment motion relating to Bhushan explosion and violation of labour and environment laws was admitted for discussion, the Deputy Speaker’s appeal to the Congress members for participation in the motion fell flat on them. His request to the leader of Opposition to bring their agitating members back to their seats and maintain order also went unheeded.
Joining issue with the Congress, the Treasury Bench members in a tit for tat formula were seen shouting slogans with placards amid anti-UPA chanting. The House could conduct business for only three minutes in the pre-lunch session. As there was no change in the situation and the Congress and BJD members continued to resort to mudslinging when the House resumed in the post lunch session at 3 pm, the Speaker adjourned the House for two hours at 3.01 pm till 5 pm. However, after the first Supplementary Budget for the 2013-14 financial year was laid by the Finance Minister amid the pandemonium by the Congress, the Speaker adjourned the House at 5.07 pm again till next day.
However, earlier after putting up protest in the House, the ruling BJD members holding posters held a dharana near the Mahatma Gandhi Statue in the Assembly complex. Condemning the Congress led UPA Government’s step motherly attitude towards Odisha even during natural calamity, the Treasury Bench members led by Deputy Government Chief Whip Sanjaya Dasburma called upon all political parties to protest UPA’s anti-Odisha stance.