 "Chit fund protest stalls assembly proceedings in Odisha")
Meanwhile, excise minister Damodar Rout sought to soft pedal his unsavoury remarks made on Monday against the Speaker that stirred up a hornet’s nest for his government and the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
“The Speaker himself is a lawyer. All that I had said yesterday was that perhaps he is not using the enormous powers vested on him by the Constitution to restore normalcy in the Assembly. I have said nothing against the Speaker,” Rout clarified.
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The BJD strongman accused the Leader of Opposition, Narsingha Mishra of gaining political traction from his comments.
Mishra admitted today that Rout's comments have been used by the Opposition as a weapon against the government.
“Whatever he (Rout) said yesterday has been recorded by the media, it has been aired also. We have used it as a weapon. Either you play the recordings before him or let him listen to what he had said yesterday and then react,” said Mishra.
Basant Panda, leader of BJP legislature party said, “We do not know under what circumstances the minister made the statement. He is the best person to clarify that. Nobody in his party has the guts to speak the truth. He has told the truth. Even if he blames us, we welcome it.”
Earlier in the day, the assembly witnessed an unusual scene when Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati climbed up the reporters' podium. Later, MLAs from both Congress and BJP held up banners to decry the government on the chit find scandal. Some of the banners carried by the Opposition members were snatched by the ruling BJD legislators.
The unruly ambience forced Speaker, Niranjan Punjari to adjourn the house till 3 pm. Later when the house was reconvened, the Opposition members raised hue and cry over non-introduction of the Appropriation Bill in Odia language. Though there were discussions on the issue, it failed to appease the Opposition with the BJP MLAs staging a walkout. Later, the Congress resumed its noisy protest on the chit fund scam, displaying banners. Unable to cope up with the pandemonium, the speaker adjourned the house till Wednesday.
“Our demand is that all Bills be introduced in the assembly in Odia language and chit fund issues be discussed threadbare,” said Bahinipati.
State BJP president K V Singhdeo said, “Even if a Bill is tabled in English, its Odia version has to be mandatorily circulated. This government is not willing to allow any debate on the chit fund scam lest it would be exposed.”
BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain said, there is no Rule or law that debars introduction of a Bill in English. Also, there is no provision for compulsory tabling of a Bill in Odia language, he added.