BHUBANESWAR: Uproarious scenes were witnessed in the Odisha Assembly on Monday with the BJP members strongly protesting the decision of Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha to disallow an adjournment motion notice on chit fund scam stating that it is sub judice.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, BJP members rushed into the well shouting slogans protesting the Speaker’s decision. The Congress members too created ruckus but for another reason. Unable to run the House smoothly, the Speaker adjourned it till 11 am, then for 20 more minutes and then till 4 pm.
Criticising the Speaker’s decision, BJP chief whip Mohan Charan Majhi said that the Opposition has a right to discuss any issue of current occurrence through an adjournment motion in the House. Stating that the Speaker rejected the adjournment motion notice on the chit fund issue without giving any reason, Majhi said it clearly indicated that the Speaker and the government conspired to shield BJD MLAs accused in the scam.
The Speaker, however, maintained that the adjournment motion brought in by the Opposition cannot be discussed as the matter is sub judice and is being investigated. Besides, in 2014, the Speaker following the advice of the advocate general had given a ruling that the issue cannot be discussed in the House as it is sub judice.