The State Assembly on Tuesday witnessed frequent adjournments and could not conduct normal businesses, excepting the Question Hour, as Opposition Congress members kept demanding compensation for farmers for distress sale of vegetables.
Opposition Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati raising the issue during Zero Hour said farmers across the State have been affected by demonitisation and are destroying produces like tomato, cabbage and cauliflower after being unable to sell them.
“Yesterday, farmers of Keojhar destroyed tomato and Koraput farmers had done so day before. Similarly, farmers of Bargarh had destroyed vegetables earlier as they could not sell them. Demonitisation has impacted them. They need to be paid adequate compensation,” Bahinipati said and demanded that either the Chief Minister or the concerned Minister give a reply as to what steps the Government has taken to compensate them.
As Speaker Niranjan Pujari didn’t pay any heed to them, Bahinipati and other Congress Members rushed into the Well of the House and shouted slogans like Chasi Surakshya Aamar Dabi and tried to climb atop the Speaker’s podium.
Unable to run proceedings, Purjari adjourned the House at 11.34 for 15 minutes. As the situation remained unaltered, the Speaker adjourned the House again till 3 pm.
When the House reassembled, the Congress members trouped agaisnt into the Well of the House insisting on the demand. After a Bill named Odisha Service of Engineers (Validation of Appointment) Amendment Bill, 2017 was introduced amid noisy scenes, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.