Agitating MLAs evicted from outside CM's chamber in Assembly

Security personnel today evicted agitating opposition SC/ST MLAs allegedly by using force while they were staging a hunger strike outside the Chief Minister's chamber in Odisha Assembly premises.
The SC/ST legislators belonging to Congress and BJP were on hunger strike since yesterday demanding implementation of Odisha Reservation of Vacancies (ORV) Act.
The incident occurred when the striking lawmakers tried to obstruct the chief minister from entering his chamber. The ruling BJD MLAs threw a protective ring around the chief minister and ensured his safe entry.
However, the security personnel lifted the agitating MLAs from the dharna site and put restrictions on the entry of television cameras and media persons into the Assembly building.

"The security personnel in plain clothes lifted me forcibly and in the process I sustained injury on head. This is not acceptable," senior Congress MLA Bhujabal Majhi said.
The striking MLAs later shifted their dharna to a place near the Speaker's chamber. They threatened to intensify agitation if the government failed to fulfill their demands.

Though the demands have a bearing on the interests of people belonging to SC/ST categories, no ST/SC legislator from BJD took part in the dharna.
Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra condemned the action of securitymen. "I condemn use of security forces to evict MLAs on dharna in Assembly. It is undemocratic," he said.

Earlier, Speaker Niranjan Pujari had appealed to the striking legislators to withdraw their agitation. Sitting on dharna on the Assembly premises contravenes rules, Pujari had said.
The leader of opposition said though the state government has decided in principle to reserve 38 per cent seats for SC/ST students, it is not being implemented in medical and enginering colleges.
Supporting the police action, Government chief whip Anant Das said, "Resorting to hunger strike in the Assembly premises is illegal. The protesting legislators have been evicted as per law".
The Opposition MLAs alleged that though the state government had promised to reserve 38 per cent of seats in Higher Education for SC and ST students, the decision had not been implemented in medical, engineering and other technical institutes.