BHUBANESWAR: Pandemonium prevailed in the Assembly on Saturday with the Opposition Congress storming into the well of the House demanding a discussion on the growing crime against women in the State even as the Speaker rejected it saying that the issue was not based on a definite incident of recent occurrence.
“We will not attend Assembly proceedings unless the Speaker accepts the adjournment motion notice given by our party,” Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh announced before leading a walkout.
Alleging that the political arrogance of the ruling BJD has destroyed the democratic process in the Assembly, Congress chief whip Prasad Harichandan said, “It was simply a dishonour to democracy as the Speaker deprived the members of discussing a sensitive and important matter like the rising atrocities on women”.
The issue was raised by the Leader of the Opposition as soon as the question hour started. Singh wanted to know why the notice for the admissibility of an adjournment motion on growing crime against women has not been allowed for discussion.
Congress members rushed into the well shouting slogans even as Speaker Pradip Amat said he will discuss the issue with the members after the question hour. The Speaker had to adjourn the House from 11.57 am to 12.30 pm because of the unruly scenes. While some members wanted to climb onto his podium, others tried to throw away papers from his table.
The situation did not improve after the House reassembled with the Congress members in the well shouting slogans. Alleging that all democratic norms have been thrown to the winds, Singh said a discussion is not being allowed as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will be in the firing line as the Home Minister. He warned that the Opposition will continue to stall the House if a discussion is not allowed.
BJD members Sanjay Dasburma and Anant Das mounted a attack on the Congress alleging that rape and atrocities against women had touched a new high during the Congress governments in the past. They alleged that the Opposition is depriving the members of discussion on other important issues by stalling the question hour on one pretext or the other.
The Speaker said he has rejected the notice from the Congress members as it is not based on definite incident of recent occurrence. Referring to the rules of procedures of Assembly, he said a notice seeking discussion on the admissibility of an adjournment motion should be based on an incident of recent happening.
“I have rejected the notice for this reason and the State Government has no role in it,” he said.