Odisha Assembly adjourned twice amid ruckus by Oppn members

The Odisha Assembly was adjourned twice till afternoon today amid a ruckus by the Congress and the BJP members over "distress sale" of tomatoes in the state.

As the Question Hour began, several Congress and BJP members rushed to the Well of the House, shouting slogans against the state government.

Housing and Urban Development Minister Niranjan Pujari, who was replying to a question, was interrupted by the din in the House.

Congress Chief Whip Taraprasad Bahinipati stood on a chair and resorted to sloganeering against the government.

Unable to run the House, Speaker P K Amat adjourned proceedings till 11.30am.

Noisy scenes, however, prevailed even after the House reassembled, forcing Amat to make another adjournment till 3pm.

 

The state government has been putting up a rosy picture on the condition of farmers in the state but the ground reality is very different, Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Narasingha Mishra said.

"Though the state government claims it has done everything for farmers, the cultivators were forced to go for distress sale of their produces due to lack of proper marketing provisions, he said.

There should be a discussion on the matter as farmers "often resort to suicide due to distress sale" of their produces, Mishra added.

BJP Legislature Party leader K V Singhdeo echoed similar sentiments.

"Instead of giving a helping hand to the farmers, the government has been creating problem for them. You may have a separate agriculture budget, but the farmers are suffering."

The state government has failed to make a marketing provision for agricultural produces, BJP MLA Rabi Naik told reporters outside the House.

The treasury bench members, however, accused the opposition of disrupting the proceedings of the House.

"Such move by the Opposition members on a day when the Budget is scheduled to be tabled is not acceptable. The issue could have been raised by them after the Question Hour," BJD MLA Sanjay Dasburma said.