According to the Speaker, the tunnel was used by the Britishers to avoid retaliation while moving freedom fighters. Apart from this, Goel also informed that in 1912, the present Delhi Legislative Assembly which was then used as Central Legislative Assembly had been shifted from Kolkata to Delhi.
This was later turned into a court in the year 1926 and was used by Britishers to bring freedom fighters to the court, he added. This place has a rich history in the context of the freedom struggle.
While 6 have been given cabinet rank, 5 were inducted as Ministers of State.
Niranjan Pujari who resigned as speaker of Odisha Assembly yesterday was brought into the ministry as a cabinet minister along with Bhandaripokhari MLA Prafulla Samal, Surya Narayan Patro, Mahanga MLA Pratap Jena, Puri MLA Maheswar Mohanty and Jayadev MLA Sasibhushan Behera.
Karanjia MLA Bijay Nayak, Bhatli MLA Sushant Singh, Parjang MLA Nrusingha Sahoo, Bhograi MLA and party chief whip Anant Das and Cuttack Sadar MLA Chandrasarathi Behera were given Minister of State ranks in the Naveen cabinet.
Also Read: Nine ministers resign from Naveen cabinet
Former Minister and Mahanga MLA Pratap Jena after his induction into the team said, “I am grateful to chief minister Naveen Patnaik for reposing faith on me.”
As Naveen emphasized on veterans after facing defeat in several districts in the panchayat poll, he picked party veteran and Bhandaripokhari MLA Prafulla Samal in his new team. "I would try to stand up to the expectation of the chief minister and perform my duty with full integrity," said Samal.
Ministers Prafulla Mallick, Ramesh Majhi were also promoted to Cabinet rank.
According to sources, the oath taking ceremony is scheduled to be held tomorrow at 9.10 AM at the Raj Bhawan.
The most noticeable shake up came after the ruling party BJD effected a major rejig in the party organization. As many as 5 ministers -Debi Mishra, Arun Sahoo, Sanjay Dasburma, Pradeep Panigrahy, Pranab Prakash Das- were offered organizational charges. Among other changes, the party appointed as many as nine leaders including the aforementioned five as party observers for 11 districts.
Earlier, in another such move, Speaker Niranjan Pujari visited the Odisha Assembly to tender his resignation to the deputy speaker, Sananda Marandi. Though Niranjan didn’t divulge the reasons behind his resignation, he said he wants to devote more time towards his constituency. Niranjan is being touted as one of the possible entrants in the reshuffled ministry.
In another development, ministers Sanjay Das Burma and Pranab Prakash Dash reportedly visited the Secretariat today to meet CM Naveen Patnaik. Both Sanjay and Pranab are among the ones who are speculated to lose their berths in the ministry to make way for new faces.
“Everyone will come to know once any decision is made. The media is unnecessarily getting desperate,” said Law and Panchayatiraj minister Arun Sahoo.
Similarly, Excise minister Damodar Rout said he has no information about any reshuffle and neither any scope of knowing till the decisions are communicated.
Also Read: Expansion or reshuffle, Naveen to take a call on revamp soon
On the other hand BJD’s Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda had also tweeted “Major changes afoot, likely the biggest shakeup in party/govt positions since at least 2009 if not longer.”
Sources informed that there is every likelihood of a reshuffle announcement tomorrow after governor SC Jamir retruns from vacation.
According to political observers the reorganisation could see names like Pranab Prakash Das, Arun Sahoo, Sanjay Dasburma and veteran Debi Mishra being asked to look after grassroots level where the party needs boost.
While many believe that if it comes down to performance then ministers- Lal Bihari Himirika, Jogendra Behera, Snehangini Churia, Sudam Marandi and Puspendra Singhdeo might face the axe.
According to sources, Niranjan arrived at the Assembly today evening and handed over his responsibilities to the deputy speaker of the Assemmbly Sananda Marandi.
However, Niranjan didn’t divulge the reason behind his resignation and said he wants to devote more time towards his own constituency.
“To devote more time and stay connected with my constituency, I have resigned,” said Pujari.
Congress' Jeypore MLA Tara Bahinipati and BJD MLA from Dhenkanal, Sudhir Kumar Samal, alleged that they were not given a chance to raise the issues of their area in the Assembly session.
Stressing upon the fact that MLAs should be allowed to speak in the House, Bahinipati said, "Everyone should get equal opportunity and everyone should participate as question hour is a very important session."
"All the MLAs should be given chance to present the issues of their area before the Assembly. I don't know why I was not allowed to speak even after raising my hand," Samal said.
Speaker S N Patro denied the allegation and said henceforth MLAs would be informed about the timing of lottery via SMS.
Important questions submitted by legislators are generally discussed in the House while written replies are given by ministers to other queries. Questions for discussion are selected by lottery.
Opposition MLAs, however, alleged that major issues are not being discussed due to lack of a lottery system and questions are listed keeping an eye on the comfort of the government.
As soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour, the issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik of the BJP. He was supported by party members who rushed to the well demanding that questions for discussion be chosen by lottery.
Unable to run the House, the speaker adjourned the House initially for an hour, and twice later - for 10 minutes and five minutes.
Normalcy returned to the House after Patro announced that the timing of the lottery would be informed to MLAs via SMS.
"It (lottery) is done in the presence of any one MLA. When there is no MLA present, the Speakers does it. Henceforth, MLAs will be sent SMS before the lottery," he said.
During one of the adjournments, Opposition BJP Chief Whip Mohan Majhi told reporters that neither the speaker nor the Assembly secretary are executing the lottery system.
Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said it is not the duty of the Assembly secretary or any other official to decide which question is to be discussed in the House.
"As per rules, questions will be selected through a lottery system and the member concerned, who will raise the question, has to remain present in the House. But if this procedure is not carried out, it is a matter of grave concern," he told reporters.
(PTI)