Bhubaneswar: Wearing black clothes, Odisha Congress MLAs created a ruckus in the state Assembly over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House till 4 pm.
As soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour at 10.30 am., the Congress members trooped into the well of the Assembly raising anti-Modi slogans.
Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha appealed to the Congress legislators to go back to their seats as there is discussion on important departments like finance, home, and mines.
However, the opposition Congress members continue their protest raising slogans.
In such a chaotic scenario, the Speaker adjourned the House till 4 pm.
“We are observing the day as black day for our democracy. So, we all are wearing black clothes. They (BJP government) have murdered democracy. If democracy will survive, the country will survive,” senior Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati told reporters outside the Assembly.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Pattanayak said: “To protect democracy, we are continuing our protest inside and outside the Assembly. Rahul Gandhi’s voice was surpassed and he was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha and was later disqualified. The people of this country will decide whether an attempt was made to murder the democracy or not?”
While many Chief Ministers have expressed their views for the protection of democracy, the Odisha Chief Minister is not making any statement in fear of CBI and ED probe into chit fund and mining scams, he alleged.
A delegation of representatives from various political parties will meet Governor Ganeshi Lal this afternoon and submit a memorandum to him, informed the OPCC president.
Reacting to the protest by Congress members, Leader of Opposition Jayanarayan Mishra said: “Those who have put all behind the bars during the emergency period are advocating for democracy today. Which kind of democracy are they talking about? Whatever decision was taken, it is as per the law, which was enacted by the then Congress government in 1951.”
Surprise is that the House was directly adjourned till 4 pm, he said, adding: “If any disturbance occurs during question hour, only the question hour should have been suspended. But, the zero hour and adjournment motion discussion were also not taken up for the adjournment.”
IANS