‘Ministers, MLAs go home and let Pandian run Assembly’: ‘Mo Dal’ mocks ‘misgovernance’ in Odisha

Hundreds of members of ‘Mo Dal’ on Friday gheraoed the Odisha Legislative Assembly in Bhubaneswar on the first day of the monsoon session in protest against the alleged ‘misgovernance’ in the State.

The protestors argued that if a secretary is attending meetings in different districts and announcing schemes, what is the need of the Ministers and MLAs in the Assembly. They were referring to the visits of 5T Secretary VK Pandian to different districts.  

“5T Secretary VK Pandian is taking all the decisions in the State. While he is visiting various places of the State to hear the grievances of people, MLAs and Ministers are preparing tents and carrying people to the meetings. Then Pandian should run the Assembly as well. What is the need of the MLAs and Ministers to come to the Assembly? We will not let them enter the Assembly,” said Akshay Kumar, working secretary of Mo Dal.

Apart from staging protests in front of the Assembly, the party workers also raised slogans against the State government. Some of the party workers also tried to enter the Assembly premises. However, police intervened and detained several party workers.

“We have no democracy in the State. Ministers and MLAs have no value and power. Pandian is taking all the decisions. So let him run the Assembly as well. Ministers and MLAs have no right to run the Assembly and we will not allow them to enter the House,” said another protestor.