Cong to bring impeachment motion against Odisha Speaker

Bhubaneswar: Angry with the functioning of Odisha Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat, opposition Congress on Friday announced bringing an impeachment motion against him in the next session of the assembly.

"We have decided to bring an impeachment motion against the speaker as rights of opposition members are not protected due to the manner in which he is functioning," Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan told reporters.

Though the party wanted to raise a number of important public interest issues in the house they were not allowed by the Speaker, he said.

"Issues like Polavaram project, mining scam, death of children due to wall collapse at an anganwadi centre and many other subjects could not be discussed during the monsoon session," pointed out Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh of Congress.

Singh said Congress was aware of its low number of MLAs in the house - just 27 out of 147 but was 'forced' to take the decision to express its displeasure over the speaker's attitude.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das on the other hand claimed that Opposition members were given maximum time by the Speaker. "Let them (Congress) bring the motion. They need to realise their numbers," Das said.

The ruling BJD has 108 members in the house, which concluded its monsoon session on Friday.