BHUBANESWAR: The Assembly on Friday witnessed noisy scenes over the Polavaram dam project being implemented by the Andhra Pradesh government after Speaker Surama Padhy rejected the demand of the Opposition Congress and BJD for a discussion in the House.
Congress members rushed to the well of the House as soon as the question hour started protesting the Speaker’s decision not to allow an adjournment motion brought by them over the issue on the ground that it is sub-judice. Though the BJD members did not join their Opposition counterparts in the well, they supported the issue from their seats.
The Speaker adjourned the House till 11.30 am as the Congress members continued their slogan shouting against the BJP government in the well. When the House reassembled, the BJD members also joined the Congress members in the protest. The Speaker then adjourned the proceedings till 4 pm.
Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik told mediapersons outside the House that the BJD has always been fighting for the interest of the people of Odisha. “We will continue to do so,” he said.
Leader of the Congress legislature party (CLP) Rama Chandra Kadam told mediapersons that the double-engine government has failed to protect the interest of Odisha on Polavaram issue. Questioning the government’s silence on the project, Kadam alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre has shown undue favours to Andhra Pradesh by sanctioning `15,000 crore for the project.