Ruckus in Odisha assembly over allegations of mining irregularities

The proceedings had to be adjourned again till 4 pm as the din continued.Criticising the speaker, the opposition MLAs alleged that Patro was working for the state government.We gave a new notice for an adjournment motion on the mining issues on Thursday.

The Odisha assembly witnessed stormy scenes on Thursday as the opposition BJP and Congress protested, demanding discussion on the allegations of mining irregularities in the state.

As soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour at 10.30 am, Congress and BJP members trooped into Well, demanding a detailed discussion on the alleged irregularities. They also attempted to climb the speaker's podium.

Speaker S N Patro's several requests failed to pacify the protesting MLAs, prompting him to adjourn the House for one hour till 11.30 am. The proceedings had to be adjourned again till 4 pm as the din continued.

Criticising the speaker, the opposition MLAs alleged that Patro was working for the state government.

''We gave a new notice for an adjournment motion on the mining issues on Thursday. Nowhere in the notice, we mentioned about corruption, but said that mining and transportation targets were not met. There is no justification for rejecting it,'' said BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi.

Speaker Patro, who had on Wednesday rejected a similar notice of the Congress, refused to accept the BJP's notice on Thursday, irking the opposition members who have accused the state government of having links with the mining mafia.

''The speaker is blatantly supporting the ruling party and working at the behest of the state government. The people in power in connivance with the mining mafia are looting the mineral resources of the state. The speaker is not adhering to the norms of parliamentary democracy,'' alleged senior Congress member SS Saluja.

The opposition members said they will continue to agitate till the issue was debated in the House.

Thursday was the concluding day of the Monsoon session of the assembly.

The protesting MLAs also raised the issue of suicide of Dusmanta Das, a youth from Jagatsinghpur, due to medical negligence at the state's premier SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

They blamed the police for failing to prevent Das from dying by suicide near the assembly on Wednesday.

While the opposition stalled proceedings of the House, the Treasury Bench members staged a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the assembly premises.

The ruling party members were demanding proper minimum support price (MSP) on paddy as per the recommendation of the MS Swaminathan Committee and 'Fasal Bima' benefits for the farmers of Odisha from the Centre.

Congress Legislature Party leader Narsingha Mishra ridiculed the BJD's protest, accusing the ruling party of playing the role of a ''rat'' before the BJP-led central government.

''Claiming to be a lion in Odisha, BJD plays a rat at the Centre and supports the BJP in all issues. Now, they are holding a protest for the MSP and Fasal Bima,'' he said.