The Odisha assembly on Thursday witnessed repeated adjournments over alleged starvation death of a 55-year-old tribal woman in the state's Balangir district.
The opposition Congress raised the issue and sought the government's statement.
"We demand a statement from the revenue and disaster management minister on the starvation death of a woman in drought-hit Balangir," Leader of Opposition Narsingh Mishra said during Zero Hour.
With Speaker Niranjan Pujari refusing to give a ruling on the matter, Congress members rushed to the well of the house and shouted slogans against the government that led to many adjournments.
Mishra alleged that Sua Dei of Gutupalli village in the district died of starvation on November 8.
He said the woman was alone at her house as other members of the family had migrated to other states in search of work due to an acute drought condition in the district.
Stating that he got the information through the media, the Congress leader, who hails from the district, said the woman died due to lack of food.
He said even though the deceased woman had lifted rice from a public distribution system outlet as per the records, but no grain was found in her home.
He also alleged that her body was buried without conducting post-mortem which could have proved that she died of starvation.
BJP legislator K.V. Singhdeo also demanded a ruling from the speaker directing the government to give a statement over the issue.
He alleged that the district administration has been trying to cover up the incident.
However, normalcy returned in the house only after the speaker gave a ruling asking the government to give a statement on the alleged starvation death case in the house by Friday.
