BHUBANESHWAR: Detention of farmers by police across the state ahead of Chasi Samavesha (farmers convention) here rocks the Assembly with opposition creating pandemonium in the house protesting the government action.
The House witnessed repeated adjournments as Opposition Congress and BJP members did not allow Deputy Speaker Sananda Marandi to transact the day's business.
As the House assembled for the day, leader of opposition Narasingh Mishra had raised the issue. Congress members stormed into the well of the House and shouted slogans against the government when Mishra's demand to discuss the matter was rejected by the Deputy Speaker. As the din continued, Marandi adjourned the proceedings till 3 pm.
Congress MLAs proceeded to Raj Bhavan and sought the intervention of Governor S C Jamir for the release of farmers who were detained by the police.
Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded immediate and unconditional release of the farmers, who have been kept forcefully at various points of the state.
Uproarious scenes continued when the House reassembled. The leader of Opposition strongly criticised the State government for misusing the police.
"Under which law the police force was used and the farmers were arrested who were fighting for their rights," Mishra thundered.
Government chief whip Ananta Das interrupted when Mishra made an uncharitable remark against the police.
Congress members once again rushed into the well of the House and tried to climb Speaker's podium. As Bahinipati tried to snatch the Deputy Speaker's mike, Marandi adjourned the Assembly for one hour.
Meanwhile, BJP MLAs staged a walkout and sat near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Assembly premises holding placards to protest police action.
State BJP president Basant Panda, MLA said the farmers have all the democratic rights to hold a protest rally here. The government throttled their democratic rights by denying them to organise a rally.
BJP legislature party leader KV Singhdeo said the ruling party wants to run the House on their whims. He condemned the police action on the farmers.
Government chief whip and deputy chief whip requested the BJP MLAs to withdraw the dharna and come to the House.
The Assembly witnessed noisy scenes when it reassembles after an all-party meeting.
Amid ruckus, demands for grants of different departments were passed in guillotine.
Expressing his ignorance about the problems and demands of the Nabanirman Krushak Sangathan, the farmers' body spearheading the movement, Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy told reporters
that neither any leader of the Sangathan has met him nor he received any memorandum from agitating farmers.