Odisha Assembly Budget Session: House adjourned till 12 pm as Oppositions create ruckus

The second phase of the Odisha Legislative Assembly Budget Session began on a contentious note on Friday, as Opposition members staged vociferous demonstrations during the question hour on the session's opening day.

While Biju Janata Dal (BJD) vocalised their discontent over the delinking of Panchayati Raj Diwas from Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary on March 5 to April 24, Congress generated a loud uproar over alleged growing atrocities on women in the state.

Despite the Speaker's appeals for cooperation in maintaining decorum, several opposition legislators gathered near the Speaker's dais to voice their grievances. Eventually, the House was adjourned till 12 pm due to the ruckus.

Heated Start in the Assembly:

The session, which is crucial for debating the state's fiscal plans, witnessed an uproar when opposition Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) gathered beneath the Speaker's podium. Their protest was a clear demand for a platform to express their grievances on what they claimed were pressing issues being ignored.

The Speaker appealed to these legislators, urging them to maintain decorum and engage in the proceedings constructively. “We must work together to ensure this session is fruitful,” the Speaker was quoted as saying in an attempt to quell the commotion.

Despite these appeals, the chaos persisted for a significant duration, underlining the intensity of the political disagreements presently animating the House.

Reactions of BJP leaders:

“Biju Babu is Odisha’s pride. No one will ever disrespect him or his legacy. However, the BJD is worried because the new BJP government under CM Mohan Majhi is doing a lot of development work. That is the only reason they are disrupting the proceedings of the Assembly,” alleged a BJP MLA.

“There are a lot of important discussions that need to be discussed in the Assembly. But they don’t want to talk about the needs of the people, so they are disrupting the session,” he added.

“We all want Odisha to be a developed state by 2036. So, I request all the BJD people to stop such disruptions, at least for the sake of the people of Odisha,” he added.