Opposition paralyse Odisha Assembly for second day over sexual abuse of minor girls; demand CM’s resignation

Opposition paralyse Odisha Assembly for second day over sexual abuse of minor girls; demand CM’s resignation

The functioning of the Odisha Assembly was paralysed for the second consecutive day today over the rising incidents of missing and sexual abuse of minor girls in the state. The house plunged into a chaotic situation after the opposition BJP and Congress members demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the law and order situation and a discussion on the issue suspending all other business of the house. The Opposition disrupted the proceedings of the house forcing Speaker S N Patro to adjourn the house thrice first at 1032 to 1500hrs and again from 1503 to 1533hrs . There was no change in the mood of the Opposition which continued to stall the business .

The house was again adjourned from 1537 hours to 1607 hours due to the protest by the opposition members. The house could not transact any business due to the protest by the agitated opposition members. The problem arose soon after the house assembled today to take up the question hour.The BJP members demanded the Speaker to discuss the issue cancelling the question hour. When the Speaker went ahead with the question hour business ignoring the opposition demand, the BJP members trooped into the well of the house and shouted slogans in support of their demand.

The Congress members also protested on the issue. As pandemonium prevailed in the house , the Speaker realising that the business of the house could no longer be conducted smoothly, adjourned the house at 1032hrs till 1500hrs. When the house reassembled after the adjournment, the opposition members again rushed to the well and disrupted the proceedings forcing the Speaker to adjourn the house at 1503hrs till 1533hrs and again at 1537 hours to 1607 hours. The Opposition BJP and Congress had stalled the proceedings of the house yesterday also and staged dharna demanding a debate on rape of minor girls in the state and resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

The BJP member sat on dharna inside the well of the house and the Congress members resorted to demonstration near the Gandhi statue inside the Assembly complex in support of their demands when an all party meeting convened by the Speaker failed to resolve the issue. The Speaker, however, went ahead with the debate on the demands of grant relating to the SC/ST Development, Minorities and Backward Class development.