Ongoing Turmoil in Odisha Assembly: Democracy at Stake

Turmoil persists in the Odisha Assembly for a third consecutive day, forcing the House to adjourn until 4 pm.

The assembly day began with a clash between opposition and ruling party members on various contentious topics. Speaker Pramila Mallik initially suspended proceedings until noon and then called for an all-party meeting in her chamber to restore order.

Despite the meeting’s efforts, the chaos endured, leading Speaker Mallick to once again adjourn the House until 4 pm. Opposition BJP MLAs began the session by protesting the rejection of their questions on various issues, wearing black badges in protest. In response, ruling BJD MLAs raised concerns about the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Opposition Chief Whip Mohan Majhi criticized the rejection of questions during the question hour, stating that it undermines the purpose of their presence in the Assembly. BJP members wore black badges in protest, alleging that the new Speaker is acting under government pressure.

BJP leader Suryabanshi Suraj accused the State government of avoiding the question hour, stating that this undermines democracy and the interests of the people in Odisha. The ongoing situation reflects the stifling of democratic voices in the state.