Ruckus in Odisha assembly over rapes, missing children

The Odisha Assembly on Tuesday failed to conduct any business, adjourned several times as opposition parties continued to press for the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, over rising incidents of rape and cases of missing children in the state.

Speaker S N patro adjourned proceedings multiple times, due to the ruckus in the well of the House by members of both the BJP and the Congress.

The opposition demanded a special discussion on the issues, apart from seeking the resignation of Patnaik, who is also in charge of the Home Department.

However, the stalemate in the assembly, is likely to be resolved, as the all-party meeting convened by Speaker, decided to hold a discussion on Wednesday.

"We will take up a discussion on the issue raised by opposition parties through an adjournment motion on Wednesday," Patro said.

As the House could not transact any business due to the pandemonium, Speaker Patro ordered the demands of grant for the departments of mass education and higher education to be passed through guillotine.

The opposition parties shouted slogans in well of the House at the beginning of the question hour, even before Speaker S N Patro asked Panchayati Raj Minister Pratap Jena to give a reply.

"Apart from the chief minister's resignation, we demand a discussion on rising incidents of missing children and rape cases, in the assembly," BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi told reporters outside the House.

Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said the assembly was adjourned, as the state government is "afraid" of the opposition.

"The chief minister has no moral right to continue in his post in the wake of the these issues," he said.

Senior BJD MLA and former minister Debi Prasad Mishra said the opposition should cooperate to ensure smooth functioning of the House.

"The state has so many issues to be discussed. The opposition should come forward and cooperate," Mishra said.

Leader of Opposition, Pradipta Kumar Naik, had alleged on Monday that more than 6,000 girls and boys have gone missing from the state within a span of four years, while only 40 per cent of them have been traced.