Pandemonium over ‘Odia Asmita’ continues in Assembly; BJD MLA breaks Speaker’s microphone

Ruckus and pandemonium continued in the Odisha Assembly for the second consecutive day with BJD MLA Dhruba Sahoo allegedly breaking the microphone of the Speaker inside the House.

As per reporters, the BJD MLA climbed the Speaker’s podium and broke the microphone as soon as the proceedings of the House resumed in the afternoon. Earlier, the House was adjourned till 4 pm due to the ruckus in the morning. Not only the BJD, the Congress MLAs also created ruckus over the alleged assault on an Assistant Section Officer (ASO) by the son of Governor Raghubar Das.

Though it was hoped that normalcy would return during the second half of the Odisha Assembly, it did not happen as both BJD and Congress MLAs continued to rush to the well of the House as soon as the Speaker started the proceedings on the motion of thanks on Governor’s address.

BJD has been demanding a statement from Odisha CM Mohan Majhi in the House on the steps taken and why police is inactive in the case.

Earlier in the day, Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik said, “The BJP had come to power by raking up the Odia Asmita and now the government is not able to provide protection to the people. The CM should answer what protection has been given to the ASO.”

Despite the ruckus, discussion continued in the Assembly over the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address.

BJD MLA Dhruba Sahoo said, “The BJP, which came to power by raking up the Odia Asmita issue, has failed to protect the people. The way the Governor’s son assaulted an Odia staff, we staged a protest. We had rushed to the well of the House in a democratic way, but the government has not listened to us so far.”