Odisha Assembly Wednesday witnessed four adjournments as both the opposition BJP and Congress MLAs shouted slogans in the well of the House over different issues.
While BJP members raised the farmers issue during the Zero Hour, the Congress MLAs rushed to the well of the House alleging that the Speaker was not following rules while conducting business in the Assembly.
There was a virtual din in the House when members of both the opposition parties raised slogans at top of their voices.
Speaker S N Patro asked Leader of Opposition, Leader of Congress Legislature Party, Finance Minister, Parliamentary Affairs Minister and chief whips of both the government and opposition, to come to his chamber for a discussion to resolve the issue.
However, the meeting could not reach at any conclusion. Later Speaker adjourned the proceeding till 3 pm.
The Congress members led by Taraprasad Bahinipati shouted slogans in the well of the House and even threw papers targeting the speaker. However the paper landed on speaker's desk.
"With a painful heart, I am compelled to say that rules of the business are not being followed in accordance to the constitution," Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said. He suggested the Speaker to hold a consultation with all the stake holders and set right the procedure for running the House.
The Congress leader also pointed out that ministers including the chief ministers are reading out written replies and not responding to the questions of members. "It appears that some people outside the House are writing the issues and forcing on the Assembly. It should not be done," Mishra said.
BJP members, on their part, however, attempted to corner the government on the farmers issue. Party's deputy leader in the Assembly B C Sethi wanted a clarification from the government on the number of beneficiaries under the Centre's flagship scheme of PM-KISAN.
"The state government claimed to have disbursed financial assistance to 51 lakh farmers under Kalia scheme, but it gave a list of only 20 lakh farmers for PM-KISAN. The state government is callous towards implementation of PM-KISAN in Odisha," Sethi said.
BJP MLA J N Mishra said farmers on Wednesday staged a demonstration in front of the office of the collector in Sambalpur district over different issues including paddy procurement. "The government is reluctant to procure paddy from the farmers," he said.
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