Odisha Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes with the Congress members staging a dharna in the Well of the House demanding action against BJD members who attacked their chief whip, while BJP MLAs stood in protest accusing the ruling BJD legislators of "attacking" the opposition.
After being disrupted since morning, the House was adjourned for the day in the post-lunch session when angry Congress members tried to climb to the Speaker's podium and uprooted his mike demanding assurance from the Chief Minister on their safety and security in the House.
Congress MLAs led by the Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra sat on a dharna in Well after the lunch break as the Speaker did not take any action against BJD members who allegedly "manhandled" Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
Earlier, as soon as the House assembled for the day, the BJD members rushed towards the Opposition benches, caught hold of Congress chief whip Bahinipati and tried to prevent him from displaying a banner as Congress MLAs were protesting from their seats.
The treasury bench members asked Congress MLAs to stop sloganeering against the Chief Minister and pointed out that the matter relating to the Prakash Mishra vigilance case could not be discussed as per decision of the Speaker.
"Ruling BJD members at the instruction of the Chief Minister rushed to the Opposition benches. Congress members were protesting from their seats and did not move to the Well. Is it desirable to grab an opposition member and manhandle him in the House in presence of the CM and Speaker?" asked Mishra.
