Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJP and Congress MLAs Wednesday gheraoed Speaker S N Patro in his Assembly chamber after he adjourned proceedings for one hour owing to a ruckus created in the House by the members.
Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Assembly during the day as legislators of the two parties staged agitations in its well, opposing the speaker’s decision to reject a notice for an adjournment motion seeking discussion on alleged mining irregularities.
As soon as the Question Hour began at 10.30 am, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Narasingha Mishra urged the Speaker to accept an adjournment notice for talks on mining scams.
The speaker, however, turned down the CLP leader’s request, following which Congress and BJP members rushed to the well of the House and raised slogans against the government.
Unable to run the proceedings, the speaker adjourned the house till 11.30 am.
Shortly after, members of the two parties gheraoed the speaker in his chamber to press for their demand.
With Patro still held up in his chamber, Deputy Speaker Rajanikant Singh presided over the House at 11.30 am and further extended the adjournment till 4 pm.
Later, the speaker told reporters, “Opposition members, led by Narasingha Mishra, came to my chamber and asked me to allow a discussion on mining-related issues. The treasury bench members were also present.
“I explained to them why I rejected their adjournment notice and advised them to raise the issue during the zero hours. But they stuck to their demands.”
Condemning the ruckus made by the opposition members, senior BJD MLA P K Deb said the agitating legislators created commotion over a subject that’s no longer in the “limelight”.
Several mining scams have been unearthed in the state over the past decade.
Mishra, on his part, claimed that such matters still hold relevance, and there is no harm in initiating a discussion over them.
BJP leaders alleged that the government wanted to avoid a discussion on the matter.
“It is now clear that the government in connivance with mining mafia is looting mineral resources of the state. Had the government been transparent, it would have agreed to hold a discussion. There cannot be another reason for avoiding this discussion in the House,” BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi stated.
PTI