BHUBANESWAR: The Assembly on Saturday witnessed huge commotion with the Opposition BJP and Congress trooping to the well of the House protesting the ‘officer raj’ prevailing in the state and shouting slogans against the government.
Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha was forced to adjourn the House till 4 pm.
As soon as the question-answer session started, CPI (M) MLA Laxman Munda sat on a dharna near the Speaker’s podium demanding action against the Koida block development officer (BDO) for assaulting a school representative. Demanding immediate transfer of the BDO, Munda said the state government is not carrying out the order of the Speaker who had directed to take necessary action following an inquiry.
Lending support to Munda, members of the BJP and Congress went to the well of the House and created a furore. The Opposition members continued to attack the government even during zero hours over Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Rita Sahu’s visit to the office of the chief secretary.
Expressing disapproval to the minister handing over a cheque of Rs 75,000 as a contribution to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), Congress MLA Narsingh Mishra said, “It was highly disgraceful. As a minister, she has lowered the dignity of the Assembly.”He said the minister should have handed over the cheque to the chief minister. If that was not possible, the minister could have called the chief secretary to her office not the other way around.
As the same situation prevailed even after the House reassembled at 4 pm and the Opposition demanded action against the Koida BDO, the Speaker convened an all-party meeting by adjourning the House temporarily. The House returned to normalcy following an assurance from the Speaker that he will take up the issue with the government.