BHUBANESWAR: After much delay and uncertainty, the state government is finally set to convene the monsoon session of the Assembly from September 18, albeit for a much-truncated period of just eight days.
According to a notification issued by the Assembly secretariat, the session will have seven working days and conclude on September 25, with one-day break on September 21 as it is a Sunday.
Announcing the session schedule, Parliamentary Affairs minister Mukesh Mahaling said that there will be six official days, and one private members’ day on September 19.
“The government is ready to face the Opposition and discuss any issue raised by them. Besides, many issues of state’s interest will also be discussed during the session,” he said.
The session, however, is set to be a fiery one with the Opposition armed with various issues, particularly the growing crime against women and self-immolation and burning deaths of women like the FM College and Balanga incident. While the Congress has proposed to bring a no-confidence motion against the government, the principal opposition party is ready to corner the government for what it terms failure on all fronts. Talking to mediapersons on Thursday, Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallick said the BJD will raise issues like the deteriorating law and order situation, immolation of several girls in the recent past including that of the FM Autonomous College at Balasore, gang-rapes and murders along with farmers’ problems during the short session among other issues. The party will also demand a statement from the government about its achievements in the last 15 months, he said.
Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati targeted the government over the delay in convening the session. “The government was not prepared to face the Opposition because of several cases of immolation death of girls recently. Now that the situation somewhat calmed down, the monsoon session has been convened only for seven days,” he alleged.
Bahinipati said the Congress is planning to bring a no-confidence motion against the BJP government during the session. Besides, crime against women and vote theft by the BJP in the 2024 elections will be the main issues of the party during the session, he added.