BHUBANESWAR: Pandemonium prevailed in the Assembly for a long time on Wednesday with the Opposition Congress stalling the proceedings demanding a discussion on the alleged favouritism shown to private industries in land allotment by Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO).
The Congress members rushed to the well demanding a discussion as soon as the House began its session in the morning. They sought to know from Speaker Niranjan Pujari why he had disallowed a discussion on the issue which had been scheduled earlier.
After the Speaker ignored their demands, the Congress members shouted anti-Government slogans and disrupted House proceedings. As the Congress members attempted to climb on to the Speaker’s podium, Pujari first adjourned the House till 11.30 am and then twice till 3 pm.
As the House resumed in the afternoon, the Congress members again created ruckus.
Normalcy was restored after the Speaker announced an all-party meeting to discuss the issue. The House was adjourned twice for the all-party meeting.
Alleging that the Government is trying to avoid a discussion on the issue, Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati said the Government land was misutilised by industries and other influential persons. BJP’s Basant Panda echoed similar feeling.
Refuting the Opposition allegations, Industries Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said the State Government was not afraid of any discussion and it will respond properly to all allegations.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had rapped the State-owned IDCO for showing undue favour to private industries for raising loans of `52,423 crore by mortgaging land allotted to them.