Bhubaneswar, Feb 14 (UNI) The Odisha Legislative Assembly was adjourned on Friday till 4 pm as the opposition continued to create a ruckus in the house.
The Odisha Assembly witnessed chaos due to an opposition protest over the deteriorating law and order situation and issues related to the Mandi system, forcing Speaker Surama Padhi to adjourn the House twice.
The Question Hour, Zero Hour, and the adjournment motion could not be taken up due to protests by opposition Congress and BJD members, who raised slogans inside the well of the House, disrupting proceedings.
The trouble began when the Assembly convened at 10:30 AM for the Question Hour debate. Opposition Congress and BJD members, shouting slogans against the government, trooped into the well of the House.
While Congress members raised concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, BJD members highlighted the plight of farmers, especially issues related to paddy procurement and the Mandi system.
The opposition members rushed to the podium and continued shouting slogans. The Speaker attempted to conduct the Question Hour, but as the protests continued inside the well, she was forced to adjourn the House at 10:34 AM till 12:00 PM.
When the House reconvened at 12:00 PM, the situation remained unchanged as BJD members once again stormed into the well and continued shouting slogans against katni-chatani, the closure of Mandis, and irregularities in paddy procurement.
The Speaker urged the members to return to their seats and allow the House to function, assuring them that they could raise their concerns during the adjournment motion. However, the agitated BJD members ignored her appeal and continued their protest.
With no other option to restore order, Speaker Surama Padhi adjourned the House till 4 PM.
Outside the Assembly, BJD members Ganeswar Behera and Goutam Buddha Das criticized the government for the chaos in the Mandi system and the katni-chatani in paddy procurement.
They accused the government of turning a blind eye to the plight of farmers, alleging that around 14 farmers had committed suicide due to crop losses and difficulties faced during paddy procurement.
Congress member Tara Prasad Bahinipati strongly criticized the BJP government for the deteriorating law and order situation and the rise in crimes against women. He alleged that a minor tribal girl had been gang-raped and that cases of murder and theft had seen a sharp increase in recent months.
Bahinipati stated that law and order in the state had collapsed, and that the BJP government had completely failed to control the rising crimes.
BJP member Irashish Acharya however slammed the opposition Congress and BJD members for deliberately stalling the important business of the house. He said the government is willing to debate the issues raised by the Opposition and condemned the Opposition for avoiding debate on important issues of the state.
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