BHUBANESWAR: Issues like farmers’ suicide and crop loss due to pest attack are likely to put the State Government in a difficult situation during the monsoon session of the Assembly beginning from November 28. However, the ruling BJD is also ready with issues including non-formation of a tribunal by the Centre for adjudication of the Mahanadi river water dispute and a paltry increase in the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy to counter the Opposition attack during the session.
The session is all set to be stormy with several other issues including lack of any response from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to the appointment sought by all party house committee to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the demand for enhancement of MSP on paddy. The House is likely to discuss the issue and further course of action if there is no response to the letter written by Speaker Pradip Amat in this regard, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Narasingh Mishra said.
Besides, growing unemployment, increase in crime against women and deteriorating law and order situation will be other issues to be raised by the Opposition during the session. Alleging that police have become ineffective, Mishra alleged that accused persons are yet to be apprehended in several rape cases including the Kunduli gangrape incident. Mishra said the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will meet on Monday to decide on when and how to raise the issues. The BJP is also all set to corner the Government over farmers’ issues and crop loss due to pest attack, deteriorating law and order situation and lack of development in the State in the health, education and industrial sectors. Criticising the Government for its all-round failure, State president of BJP Basant Panda alleged that its inaction has led to suicide by farmers. The State Government failed to take any step to tackle the situation arising out of pest attack as a result of which several farmers committed suicide due to crop loss, he said.
However, criticising the Centre for ignoring the demands of Odisha, deputy government chief whip Rohit Pujari said the BJD will raise several issues including the paltry increase in MSP on paddy, the Centre’s silence on formation of a tribunal to adjudicate the Mahanadi river water dispute and Polavaram dam issue during the session.