Row in Odisha assembly over official's 'liar' remark

The Odisha assembly on Wednesday saw repeated adjournments after opposition members demanded that the speaker summon a sub-collector of Bolangir district for allegedly calling them liars.

"The sub-collector has alleged in the media that we are telling lies in the house. I urge the speaker to summon the officer to be reprimanded, else our presence in the house will be irrelevant," said Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra while urging the speaker to summon the sub-collector.

Asking the speaker to give a ruling on the issue, Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati said government officials were not listening to legislators and public representatives have now become "rubber stamps".

BJP leader K.V. Singhdeo also supported the Congress demand.

Congress and BJP members had on Tuesday held the sub-collector responsible for the alleged suicide by a farmer after crop loss due to hailstorm.

The opposition members also said the officer insulted the farmer, who along with other farmers had approached him for compensation.