With both the Opposition and ruling BJD blaming each other for the apparent wash out of the budget session of Odisha Assembly, Speaker Niranjan Pujari today adjourned the House sine die.
The budget session, which began on March 15, was adjourned sine die four days ahead of the schedule. Though 27 sittings were held, only six bills including the Appropriation Bill, could be passed in the session.
"It is most unfortunate and a matter of serious concern that the second phase of this important session was continuously stalled by the opposition affecting the interest of people and the state," Chief Minister and Leader of the House Naveen Patnaik said.
Claiming that he personally took initiatives to restore normalcy in the House, Patnaik said "But the opposition did not cooperate and continued their obstructionist attitude for narrow political agenda at the expense of larger interest of the people of our state."
Not taking the name of the Leader of Opposition, the Chief Minister said he was really concerned that mature political leaders known for their expertise on law and legislative propriety raised "unconnected and irrelevant" issues on the floor, against law and legislative privilege, just to stall the proceedings of the House.
"Everybody has the right to speak on the floor. But that should be permissible within the precinct of law and legislative rules, norms and practice," Patnaik said.
"What is most unfortunate is the temple of democracy was used as a forum of agitational politics in spite of its clear prohibition in legislative rules. People have voted us to this august House to discuss and deliberate their issues and legislate for their betterment. The time has come for serious self introspection by the opposition," Patnaik said.
"The competitive politics of Congress and BJP to occupy the space of the number one position is responsible for this state of affairs. I expect and appeal to the opposition to be more responsible in future and work in the greater interest of people of the state," he said.
Patnaik said he and his party were committed to work for the betterment of the state despite obstruction being created by the opposition parties.
Leader of Opposition Naraingha Mishra of Congress, on the other hand, alleged the House was paralysed by the ruling party members in a planned manner.
Speaker Pujari announced sine die when Congress and BJP walked out of the House in protest and the agitating opposition SC/ST MLAs shifting their agitation to the nearby Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Assembly premises.
