Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi 'not allowed to speak' in Assembly, stages dharna 

Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi staged a sit-in in the Odisha Legislative Assembly on the fifth day of the ongoing Monsoon Session today. He staged a ‘dharna’ for allegedly not being allowed to speak in the House. 

Legislator Panigrahi said he resorted to a demonstration below the podium in the house as he wasn’t allowed to speak. As per reports, senior Congress leader Narasingha Mishra came in support of Panigarhi and demanded that the latter should be allowed to speak. 
However, he called off his 'dharna' after the Speaker requested him to do so. 

“I requested the Speaker to allow me to speak. From the activities of the Speaker, I could figure out that she willingly didn’t allow me to speak. I wish to know on what grounds the government can prevent me from using my right,” said Panigrahi. 

The legislator and the ruling BJD have been at loggerheads on one or the other issue since he was expelled from the party. 

Last month, some BJD workers had allegedly misbehaved with the Gopalpur MLA near Lanjipalli flyover in the Ganjam district as he was going to Kanishi where the 5T secretary was attending a programme. 

He had alleged that some BJD goons had climbed onto his vehicle and attacked him. He had also alleged that the police did not allow him to move ahead. 

Panigrahi had asked, “How do you justify a 4000-strong police force for a private secretary’s security and absolutely no security for a public representative?”

On the same day, the 5T secretary had flayed the legislator without taking his name. He had said, “During Covid, a people's representative called the Chief Minister and said we should not allow the return of Ganjam people staying outside as it would worsen the Covid situation in the district. We should survive first and then think about others. The CM got angry and asked us to ensure the safe return of the residents from outside.”