Opposition urges Governor to reconvene Assembly

The Opposition parties have sought the intervention of the Orissa Governor M C Bhandare in reconvening the session of the state legislative assembly which they felt was adjourned sine die on Saturday in blatant violation of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.

The Opposition led by Congress leader Bhupinder Singh on Sunday called on the Governor and submitted a memorandum to him, requesting him to reconvene the assembly session which was adjourned abruptly through a ruling party motion even as the opposition members were demanding a thorough discussion on mining scam.

Other leaders of the Opposition who accompanied Singh include K V Singhdeo, the leader of the BJP Legislature Party, senior Congress leaders Prasad Harichandan and Santosh Singh Saluja and BJP leader Jaynarayan Mishra.

In their memorandum, the Opposition members stated that the house was adjourned sine die by the Speaker without any convincing reason. Even under the old Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Orissa legislative assembly, the prorogation of the assembly has to be done in consultation with the Opposition.

Meanwhile, the Opposition members continued their dharna for the second consecutive day in the assembly today.

The memorandum further pointed out that the assembly had sensitive issues for discussion related to the Icfai Private University Bill and the naming of the Central University after Gopabandhu Dash.

The sudden adjournment of the assembly is an indication that the state government is not prepared to face the burning issues of the state, the memorandum stated.

The Opposition members alleged that the move to adjourn the house sine die is a clear indication of the unconstitutional, undemocratic and cowardly attitude of the state government to which the speaker has become a party.

The assembly was adjourned by the government on Saturday on the grounds that there was no important business left to transact,