Heat over suspension of clerks in Assembly; proceedings adjourned till 11.30 am

Bhubaneswar: Protesting disciplinary action taken by the Koraput Collector against 11 clerical staff in connection with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s chopper landing approval, BJP legislators on Thursday created din in the State Assembly following which Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourned the House proceedings till 11.30 am.

As proceedings began today, BJP legislators rushed to the well of the house shouting slogans against the government for directing Koraput top administrator to initiate actions against fourth grade employees in connection with giving permission to Union Minister’s chopper landing in Boriguma during the Panchayat poll campaigning.

MLA Rabi Naik tried to climb up the Speaker’s podium and interrupted the proceedings of house while his other party legislators supported him. They condemned the decision of the Collector while demanding stringent action against him.

Speaking to media persons afterwards, Naik said from this it is very clear that upon instructions from the third floor, the collector was directed to initiate actions against the officials who had put up files. “Developmental works in this tribal district have been badly interrupted since last seven days ever since the clerks have resorted to protests. So instruction should be laid out to clear the logjam and the suspension of the officials should be revoked,” he said.

Congress MLA Bhujabala Majhi said that someone else is paying for the mistake of others. "While the Collector and higher authorities gave permission for landing, creating the controversy, the lower level officials are paying for that," he said.

BJD lawmaker Amar Satpathy said local administration made the decision so it should not be made an issue. “If there were any irregularities then actions can be taken against them. It should not be made a state issue,” he said.