BHUBANESWAR: Opposition BJD and Congress MLAs on Wednesday wore black T-shirts and continued their protest in the State Assembly, demanding the resignation of Health minister Mukesh Mahaling over the death of 12 patients in the SCB Medical College and Hospital fire mishap.
Continuing for the last one week, the demonstration by the Opposition washed out the Question Hour on the day.
At the start of Question Hour at 10.30 am, members of the BJD and Congress entered the well wearing black T-shirts, with ‘Weak Chief Minister’ written on the front and ‘Strong Health Minister’ on the back.
Stating that Mahaling is responsible for the deaths at the trauma care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital on March 16, the Opposition MLAs demanded his immediate resignation. Despite repeated appeals by Speaker Surama Padhy, the demonstration continued.
Criticising the Opposition MLAs for continuously disrupting proceedings, the BJP members showed placards from their seats. As the Speaker failed to pacify the two sides, the House was adjourned till 11.30 am.
During the adjournment, the Opposition legislators marched on the Assembly premises, shouting slogans against the Health minister. After the House resumed, their slogan shouting continued in the well, followed by a walkout.
Minister for Law Prithiviraj Harichandan said proceedings of seven days have been disrupted due to the ruckus by Opposition members. The state government spends Rs 68-70 lakh to run the House on a daily basis, the minister said.
Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallick, however, dared the chief minister to sack the Health minister over the fire mishap. “Let the chief minister prove he is strong by sacking the Health minister,” she added.
However, BJP MLA Ashok Mohanty alleged that the Opposition was protesting to divert attention from the Biju-Naveen Inspirational Foundation in New Delhi, claiming that around `4,000 crore of BJD funds were diverted to it. He blamed the previous BJD government for neglecting the infrastructure of SCB Medical College and Hospital and stated that the party should take moral responsibility for the tragedy.