BHUBANESWAR: The budget session of the assembly got up to a noisy start with the Opposition Congress boycotting the Governor's address for ignoring key issues including suicide by farmers and deteriorating law and order situation in the state. The members disrupted proceedings by shouting slogans in the well forcing Speaker Pradip Amat to adjourn the house till tomorrow.
Leading the walk out by Congress members during address of Governor SC Jamir, leader of the opposition Narasingh Mishra alleged that his speech has portrayed a rosy picture of the state by not mentioning the plight of the farmers and other important issues. The issue was again raised by Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati during the speech of government chief whip Amar Prasad Satpathy on the motion of thanks on the Governor's address.
Describing the BJD government as anti-farmer, Congress MLAs led by Bahinipati rushed to the well of the house shouting anti-government slogans and demanded justice for the farmers who are on a hunger strike in front of the assembly seeking price, pension and prestige. The members also attempted to climb the Speaker's desk and demanded a discussion on the farmer issue.
Bahinipati said farmers under the banner of Navanirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) are on hunger strike demanding proper price for their produce, pension to aged cultivators and prestige for them. "The BJD
government has been unkind to farmers during its 18 years of rule," Bahinipati told media persons outside the house.
Earlier, obituary references were made for by five former members and two jawans killed in terrorist attack by the Speaker, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and leaders of other political parties.
Meanwhile, farmers agitating under the banner of NKS have decided to gherao the assembly on March 21. They are sitting on dharna since March 12 demanding allocation of Rs 21,600 crore in the budget for 2018-19 for nearly 36 lakh farmers. "Every day hundreds of farmers are joining the protest and dozens are
falling sick. The NKS demands Rs 5,000 per month as pension for each farmer which comes to around ` 21,600 crore annually for nearly 36 lakh farmers of the
state.