Odisha Assembly disruptions: Proceeding costs govt Rs 70 lakh a day, BJP attacks Opposition

The ongoing disruptions in the Odisha Legislative Assembly have triggered a heated exchange between the ruling BJP, and the Opposition BJD and Congress members, with BJP MLA Babu Singh on Tuesday strongly criticizing the opposition for their actions.

Addressing the issue, Singh pointed out that each day of Assembly proceedings costs the government Rs 70 lakh, yet the opposition continues to stall discussions instead of addressing crucial public concerns.

“The Question Hour has stopped. Approximately Rs 70 lakh is being spent each for the House to run. The Opposition is sacrificing public interest by disrupting the Assembly. People are watching their actions, and they will be held accountable for it. Those who are protesting outside the Assembly gates have been elected to sit inside and debate. If they continue this behaviour, they might not even have seats in the opposition in the future,” said Babu Singh, taking a direct dig at BJD leaders.

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Counterarguments from Opposition Parties

Responding to Singh’s remarks, BJD MLA Arun Sahoo defended his party, stating that ensuring the smooth functioning of the House is the responsibility of the ruling party. He argued that while disruptions are part of democracy, the government should remain committed to governance and addressing issues concerning the people.

“Today, we staged a demonstration as we are seeing that there is less impact on the government over the grievances. BJD is ready for discussion. But, as we do not have any scope, we resort to protest. Hence, we staged a demonstration at the main gate,” said Sahoo.

On the other hand, Congress Legislative Party leader Ramachandra Kadam countered the government’s claims by highlighting rising concerns about women’s safety in Odisha.

“In the past eight-nine months, cases of crimes against women have increased significantly in the state including rape and murders each day. The number of missing women and children is high in Odisha. We have repeatedly raised these issues, but the government has taken no concrete action to address them,” he said, accusing the ruling party of ignoring critical social issues.

Political Turmoil Continues

The Assembly has witnessed multiple instances of uproar in recent days, with the opposition demanding more accountability from the ruling party on governance failures while the government continues to assert that development work remains their top priority.

The deadlock between the two sides raises concerns about the effectiveness of legislative proceedings, as crucial policy discussions and decision-making are being overshadowed by frequent disruptions and protests. With public scrutiny increasing, both sides face mounting pressure to restore normalcy in the Assembly and focus on addressing pressing state issues.