BHUBANESWAR: The pre-lunch session of the assembly witnessed noisy scenes with the Congress members demanding a discussion on the soaring prices of petrol and diesel which have touched
an all-time high. As a counter, the BJP members raised the issue of custodial death in Nayagarh district and demanded a high level inquiry into the incident.
As the house assembled for the question hour, Congress members led by chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati rushed to the will of the house raising slogans against the fuel price hike. Unable to run the house amidst the chaos, Speaker Pradip Amat adjourned the house till 11.30 am, then till 12.50 pm and later till 3pm.
Raising the issue during the zero hour, leader of the opposition Narasingh Mishra criticised the Centre as well as the state government for the fuel prices. A litre of petrol here now costs Rs 73.05, while the rate for diesel is Rs 70.24.
“While the central excise duty was Rs 3.56 per litre when UPA regime, it has increased to Rs 17.33 per litre now. The Centre's earning from excise duty is Rs 2,42,691 crore in 2016-17 against Rs 77,982 crore in 2014," Mishra said.
The leader of the opposition also criticised the state government for not demanding before the Centre that petroleum products should be brought under the purview of GST. Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati said that the finance minister should make a statement on demanding inclusion of petroleum products under the purview of GST.
BJD members also criticised the Centre for the soaring prices of petrol and diesel. Government chief whip Amar Prasad Satpathy said that the NDA government has hiked the excuse duty on petrol and diesel
at least nine times in the last four years. BJP member Rabi Naik, however, said that the state government should reduce VAT on petrol and diesel to give relief to the people.
Criticising the state government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, Naik raised the issue of death of a youth at Madhyakhanda Outpost in Daspalla in Nayagarh district. He alleged the Madhyakhanda Outpost police had picked Kalia Kathua of Simili Sahi of Daspalla area on April 16 and kept him inside the lock-up. However, on the same night, he sustained severe burn injuries. Police later admitted him to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack where he succumbed to his injuries on April 20.
"While the family members have alleged that Kalia was burnt to death by the police, the cops, on the other hand, has said the deceased had tried to commit suicide by pouring kerosene on himself," Naik said. He urged the Speaker to direct the chief minister to institute a high-level probe into the incident.