Cong MLAs wear black badges, allege they are denied rights

Bhubaneswar: A day after defeat of their no-confidence move against the Naveen Patnaik government, Opposition Congress members today wore black badges alleging that they had been denied their genuine rights.

"We were not given opportunities to speak in the general discussion on the Odisha Lokayukta Bill-2014 and the government also curtailed debate on the no-confidence motion yesterday," Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan said.

Harichandan said that the government also deprived the legislators of their rights today.

"Today was a Private Members Day. But the government has decided to hold discussion on the clauses of the Odisha Lokayukta Bill-2014," he said.

As soon as the House assembled for the day, Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh began delivering a long speech targeting the government on various issues including atrocities on women, farmers' death, breakdown of law and order besides, mining scam.

The high pitch slogans from opposition bench led to adjournment of the Question Hour. Unable to run the House, the Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat adjourned the House for 52 minutes.

While Singh gave his speech, his party MLAs displayed banners highlighting different issues.

Continuing their protests, the Congress members later staged a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Assembly premises after adjournment of the House.

However, after the House reassembled at 11.30 am, the opposition members participated in discussion on the clauses of the Bill.

Two and a half hours have been allotted for the debate on the Bill, which was presented in the House on February 12.

The debate on the Bill had remained incomplete last night as Leader of Opposition Singh sat on dharna protesting denial of opportunity to participate in the general discussion on the Bill.