Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly Monday witnessed a ruckus over the leakage of the question paper of the High School Certificate Examination forcing Speaker B K Arukh to adjourn the house till 1600 hours.
Except for passing the obituary reference moved by Leader of the House Naveen Patnaik, no other business could be transacted during the first half of the session due to protest by the Opposition members over the question paper leak.
As soon as the house assembled at 1030 hours Monday, Patnaik moved the obituary reference to condole the death of former Jharsuguda MLA Biren Pandey who died while undergoing treatment in a private hospital at Bhubaneswar Sunday.
Soon after the obituary reference was unanimously passed in the house, the BJP and Congress members stormed into the well showing the photocopies of the Mathematics question paper on the last day of the examination Monday.
The opposition members shouted slogans and disrupted the business of the house. As the house plunged into a chaotic situation, the Speaker adjourned it at 1042 hours till 1600hrs.
The opposition members alleged that the question paper was leaked in Puri district, the home district of the School, and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash.
They said since the Education Minister knew about the leak of the question paper he is trying to avoid the issue.
The Mass Education Minister however denied the Opposition allegation. He told reporters outside the house that there was no truth in the opposition allegation and the allegation is not based on fact.
Dash said he has talked with the district collector, Board officials, and the department but there was no information about the leak of the question paper.
Opposition Chief Whip Mohan Charan Majhi said the leakage of the question paper will ruin the career of talented students. He demanded that the Minister should admit it and resign from his post.
Congress member Tara Prasad Bahinipati alleged that some ruling BJD leaders who are running private schools have leaked the question papers deliberately to project the government-run schools in poor light.
UNI