Arpan Rath- parboiled rice row heat in Odisha Assembly; proceedings disrupted

The proceedings of the Odisha Assembly were disrupted multiple times on Wednesday over the pandemonium created by the Opposition members over ‘Arpan Rath rice mixed with parboiled rice.

The BJP MLAs rushed to the well of the House and created ruckus over the issue on the third day of the Budget session of the Odisha Assembly. The members staged a demonstration by holding posters.

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Opposition Chief Whip, Mohan Majhi said, “In Puri Srimandir, parboiled rice has been mixed with Arpan Rath rice and Mahaprasad and other items are being prepared and distributed. Today, we wanted an answer from the Odisha government and CM Naveen Patnaik in the Assembly. We will continue to raise this issue in the Assembly till we get a concrete answer over the matter.”

Meanwhile, the BJD members staged a demonstration in front of the Gandhi statue by alleging that the BJP is politicising the sensitive Pari murder case, the verdict of which was pronounced on Tuesday.

On the alleged parboiled rice controversy, BJD MLA Bhagirathi Sethi said, “BJP is only politicising the matter. Have the BJP examined whether it is parboiled rice or they have mixed it? Requisite rice has been offered by people to Srimandir dedicated to Lord Jagannath. BJP is thinking of getting votes by making such allegations. But people have already made up their minds to vote for BJD.”