TV
Of late during the ongoing session, the Odisha Assembly corridor has been witnessing a huge rush of Personal Security Officers (PSOs) with loaded firearms causing inconvenience for the MLAs and Ministers.
The situation reportedly occurred due to the decision by the State-Level Security Committee that each MLA will be provided with two PSOs in safari uniform for security reasons.
As a result, each MLA is escorted by two security officials causing huge rush on the corridor. Moreover, some of the MLAs are also coming to the Assembly with their own PSOs adding to the woes.
Several MLAs have admitted the inconvenience and expressed their disappointments over the development. Some of the legislators are of the opinion that the situation can be resolved by making a special restroom for the PSOs on the Assembly premises.
“Apart from the two PSOs for each MLA, some MLAs are also coming with extra PSOs for their own security reasons and that is adding to the rush on the corridor,” said BJP MLA Simarani Nayak.
“The PSOs are standing in the corridor during the whole Assembly period causing a huge rush. The situation could be avoided by making proper sitting arrangements for them,” said BJD MLA Devi Ranjan Tripathy.
“We request the government to make proper sitting and food arrangements for the PSOs to avoid the rush. We will raise the issue in the House,” said Congress MLA Nilamadhab Hikaka.
Questions have also been raised on the chaos created by the PSOs on the corridor while discussions about important issues are going on in the Assembly.
Earlier, the former Health Minister of Odisha, Naba Das was shot dead by police personnel. With so many PSOs moving with loaded guns on the Assembly corridor, it is triggering concerns.
However former Police DG BB Mishra refuted the possibility.
“As per the decision of the Special Branch, two PSOs have been given the security responsibility of an MLA considering the threat perception. People used to come to the MLAs and Ministers for different reasons. However, a PSO can’t work for 24 hours. Questions can’t be raised over the mental condition of all the security officials though there are rare exceptions,” said Mishra.
