Odisha Assembly Monsoon session likely to be stormy

The Monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly, which commences from tomorrow, is likely to be a stormy one with the Opposition gearing up to corner the state government on a host of issues including the alleged police excesses in Kendrapara and Keonjhar districts.
"We will raise all issues, particularly the police excesses in Kendrapara and Keonjhar districts where innocent people were beaten up by security personnel without any provocation," Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of the Congress said here.
The Opposition BJP also said it would raise similar issues in the Assembly, including the vigilance case against senior IPS officer Prakash Mishra, presently working as the director general of CRPF.

BJP state president K V Singhdeo said the party would like discussions over different issues in the Assembly rather than paralysing the proceedings, and was apprehensive that the ruling BJD might disrupt the session to avoid discussion over many issues.
Though the state government suspended former Kendrapara Superintendent of Police (SP) Satish Gajbhiye for police action against agitators demanding arrest of controversial godman Sarathi Baba, the Opposition was likely to stall proceedings demanding arrest of the IPS officer.
"We will demand arrest and criminal proceedings against the suspended IPS officer," Mishra said.

Besides the police firing incident at Namtara village in Kendrapara district where 11 villagers, including five children were injured during a protest against liquor shops, Congress MLAs would raise the Belbahali incident in Keonjhar district, which left 20 persons injured while they were demanding shifting of the site of a proposed bridge.

The Opposition would also raise the Posco issue, which could embarrass the ruling BJD after the company announced of putting its Odisha project on hold and signing an MoU with Uttam Galva for a three MTPA plant in Maharashtra recently.
The ruling BJD, on the other hand, said it was prepared to face the Opposition in the Assembly.
"We are ready to face the Opposition in the House and discuss all issues raised by them," said BJD spokesman Samir Ranjan Dash, adding the party members would raise issues related to alleged central negligence.
"The BJD will highlight how the Posco project could not progress due to central delays," a BJD MLA added.