BHUBANESWAR: THE winter session of the Assembly witnessed a stormy start on Tuesday with members of the opposition Congress creating a ruckus in the House over farmers’ neglect even as the BJD raised the issue of minimum support price (MSP) of paddy. The BJP members also protested the neglect of farm sector and farmers by the State Government.The House could meet for only 10 minutes as the Congress members continued raising slogans in the well by showing damaged paddy saplings. While the BJD members were on their feet, BJP members rushed to the well showing damaged paddy plants.
The Congress members had rushed to the well in protest as Speaker Pradip Amat did not allow Leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra to speak after the obituary references were over. The opposition members wanted the question hour to be suspended to discuss farmers’ issues.The Speaker adjourned the House thrice from 11.09 am to 12.09 pm, 12.10 pm to 12.40 pm and at 12.40 pm for the day as noisy scenes continued.
The Leader of the Opposition alleged that the Speaker was silent on the motion submitted by the Congress to discuss neglect of farm sector and farmers by both the Centre and State Government. He said the Speaker did not even allow a discussion on the adjournment motion notice given by the Congress on farmers’ issues.
There was no business in the Assembly except obituary and questions which are routine matters, Mishra said and added that the ruling party had come prepared not to allow any discussion in the House. After the House was adjourned, BJD members staged a dharna in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi demanding a hike in MSP on paddy.
Criticising both the BJD and BJP for raising farmers’ issues, Mishra said members of these parties should pressurise the State and Central Governments to resolve the problems faced by farmers. “Before whom they are demanding. BJD and BJP are in Government in the State and Centre. It is the governments which will resolve farmers’ problems,” Mishra said outside the House.“The Prime Minister did not give time to the House Committee formed for hike in paddy MSP. The BJD members on Tuesday staged dharna near Gandhiji statue protesting against the Centre’s attitude towards Odia farmers,” Government Chief Whip Amar Prasad Satpathy said.