BHUBANESWAR: As the stalemate continued in Odisha Assembly on Saturday over paddy procurement and farmers’ issues, the ruling BJD hit out at BJP MLA Subash Panigrahi for attempting suicide in the House by consuming sanitiser on Friday, and demanded unconditional apology from him.
For the first time in recent history, three ministers trooped to the well of the House demanding that the legislator should first apologise for his conduct which, they said, has set a bad precedent in the entire country.
The BJD members threatened that they will not allow House to function unless Panigrahi apologised.
Stating that suicide attempt in the State Assembly had opened an inglorious chapter in Indian politics, BJD member Pratap Keshari Deb asked whether it was sponsored by the BJP or was his own personal agenda.
Condemning Panigrahi’s act, he said elected members come to the House to raise people’s issues and not set such type of bad example.
“Nobody can take away the right of an MLA to protest, but threatening or attempting to commit suicide is a heinous crime. As the BJD strongly condemns such an attempt, it stands by its demand that unless Panigrahi tenders unconditional apology, it will not allow the normal functioning of the House,” he said.
Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro adjourned the House till 11.30 am and several times thereafter as pandemonium prevailed.
The BJP and Congress members, however, continued their protest against largescale irregularities in mandis.
As soon as the Assembly convened for question hour, Congress members rushed to the well of the House demanding immediate action to ensure that farmers don’t suffer due to the ‘faulty’ policy of the government.
Suicide bid rocks House, BJD seeks apology from Subash Panigrahi
BJP members also joined them and started raising anti-government slogans.
Some Congress MLAs even attempted to climb on to the Speaker’s podium but were prevented by the marshals from doing so.
Later, during the afternoon session, Congress members announced that they will not allow House to be run unless the three ministers apologised for their conduct in the House.
Panigrahi stood by his act and said he will apologise only after the government procures paddy from the farmers.
“Or else, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should apologise to the farmers for his inability to lift paddy. Then only, I will apologise,” he said.
Media advisor to the government Manas Mangaraj defended the ministers saying that attempt to suicide is a criminal offence and by protesting against this in the well they have not lowered the dignity of the House.
“They are first MLAs and then ministers,” he said.