Pandemonium in Odisha assembly over law and order situation

Opposition members on Friday created uproarious scenes in the Odisha assembly after the Speaker rejected adjournment motions on the law and order situation in the state.

The Speaker adjourned the house till 3 p.m. after pandemonium prevailed from the beginning of the Assembly proceedings.

As soon as the members assembled in the house for the day, Opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members rushed to the well of the House and shouted slogans as two adjournment motion notice moved by Congress over law and order situation in the state were rejected by Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat.

"It is unfortunate that the adjournment motion notice moved by the Opposition was rejected," Congress MLA Nabakishore Das told media persons.

"The people of Odisha need to know the ruling party with its brute majority is trying to suppress the voice of the Opposition. They are trying to murder the democracy and I condemn it," Das added.

Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati said while the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state, the government is avoiding discussion on the matter.

Criticising the Naveen Patnaik-led state government, BJP member Pradeep Purohit said the adjournment motion was rejected as the Chief Minister, who also heads the Home department, has no answer to the worsening law and order situation in the state.

On the other hand, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) tried to blame the Opposition for the rejection of the adjournment motion.

"The Opposition is intentionally trying to mar the house proceedings. Though adjournment motion notice was moved by them, any specific incident of law and order situation wasn't mentioned in it for which it was rejected by the Speaker," said BJD member Samir Dash.

--IANS

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