Logjam continues in Odisha assembly for fifth day

Congress announces protest at districts over chit fund scam

Tussle between treasury and Opposition benches over allowing discussion of chit fund scam and other issues in the assembly marred proceedings of the house for the fifth day in a row today.

The house began its day with loud protests of Congress legislators, who criticised the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for not allowing discussion on issues such as chit fund scam, government and forest land encroachment cases and coal and mining scam.

To amplify their protests, the Congress MLAs were seen wearing black masks and holding banners at their seats.

Later, treasury bench MLAs heightened the din by rushing into the well of the house blaming the successive governments at the Centre, led by the Congress and BJP for ignoring the state’s claim for assistance to carry out rehabilitation work in areas affected by cyclone Hudhud this year and Phailin last year and also sidelining interest of Odisha over construction of Polavaram dam in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, which is likely to submerge a large tracts of land in the state.

As the members continued with sloganeering, Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourned the house thrice and finally said, it will reconvene tomorrow.

Though Pujari had invited all parties for a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the assembly that lists issues to be raised on the floor, both the Congress and BJP didn't attend the meeting alleging that the Speaker was favouring the ruling party.

“The chief minister is afraid of discussion over chit fund scam and other issues as he fears it would unmask the reality of his party leaders. It is the responsibility of the ruling party to run the house smoothly. But if those, who should have a stake in smooth running of the house, themselves disrupt the proceedings, how can the house run,” asked Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader, Narasimha Mishra.

BJP said the ruling party is adopting an attitude of a dictator to muzzle voices of the Opposition. “We could not discuss mining scam, coal scam and chit fund issues as the government did not want that. They are trying to scuttle every attempt made by opposition parties to raise the issues by using their heavy numbers,” said Basant Kumar Panda, chief of BJP legislature party.