BHUBANESWAR: The incident of child sale, which was reported in the Capital City on Wednesday, left the Government red faced with Opposition Congress and the BJP demanding a statement from the Chief Minister on the issue in the Assembly on Thursday. The Assembly witnessed noisy scenes with Congress members rushing to the well of the House forcing Speaker Niranjan Pujari to adjourn the House for 10 minutes.
Raising the issue of child sale during zero hour, Naba Kishore Das (Cong) demanded a statement from the Chief Minister on the issue. Das also raised the issue of the State Cabinet meeting on Wednesday in which several important decisions were taken without taking the House into confidence. Describing the step as undemocratic, Das said the State Government should have informed the members.
“Odisha has in the past earned a bad name over child sale issues. Earlier, incidents were reported from poverty-stricken Kalahandi and Balangir districts. But this time, the incident took place in the State Capital,” Das said.
Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded that the Speaker direct the Chief Minister to give a statement in the House about child sale in the Capital City.
Describing the incident as shameful, leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra demanded a statement from the Chief Minister. “The House has every right to know what exactly happened. We request the Speaker to give a ruling to the Chief Minister to give a statement,” Mishra said.
As the Speaker did not issue any ruling, Opposition members rushed to the well of the House demanding a statement from the Government.
BJP members, who raised the issue of total prohibition on the sale of liquor in the State, shouted slogans against the Government for not holding discussion on the matter and demanded a statement from the Chief Minister.
Radharani Panda and Pradip Panigrahi (both BJP) showed a banner from their seats demanding prohibition. Leader of the BJPLP Basant Panda said as long as prohibition is not clamped in the State, such incidents of sale of child will continue and Odisha will not develop.