Bhubaneswar: The stalemate in Odisha Assembly continued prevailing for the seventh consecutive day today as both Opposition and treasury bench members created a ruckus in the House leading to a series of adjournments.
The functioning of the house was totally paralysed and the house could not transact any business due to the protest by the members. The house could not take up the question hour in the pre lunch session and the demands for grants
for the first supplementary grants relating to Home department could not be taken up in the post lunch session.
The house was adjourned four times during the pre-lunch session and twice in the post lunch session. The Speaker adjourned the house at 1648hrs till 1030hrs Thursday. After repeated efforts by the Speaker to break the impasse through dialogue in the all party meeting convened in the pre and post lunch session failed. As soon as the House assembled for the day at 10.30 AM like yesterday the slogan shouting opposition BJP and Congress members rushed to the Well holding placards and banners and reiterating their demand for the sacking of the Minister of State (MoS) for Home, Dibya Shankar Mishra over Mamita Meher murder case.
The BJP members beat gongs and bells as a mark of protest. The Congress MLAs showed placards and shouted slogans. The house witnessed a political high drama after both the BJD and the BJP Members tried to outwit each other in a poster war. While the BJP members showed the photographs of Gobind Sahu, the prime accused in the Mamita Meher murder case with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and alleged that all illegal works were going on in the Mahaling public school where Mamita was a teacher with the support of the government.
The treasury bench members standing on their seats showed photographs of Mohan Lal Sharma, advocate of Gobind Sahu with senior BJP leaders like Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, former Odisha BJP President Basant panda, senior BJP leader K V Singh Deo.
As the house plunged into a chaotic situation, the Speaker adjourned the house at 1031hrs till 1130hrs. After the house reassembled at 1130hrs, the opposition members again continued their agitation. Finding no other alternative the Speaker adjourned the house at 1133hrs and called an all party meeting. The house was subsequently adjourned twice till 1600hrs as the all party meeting failed to break the ice.
There was no change in the situation when the house assembled at 1600hrs after the adjournment. While the BJP members trooped into the well carrying placards, shouting slogans and beating bells, the Congress members protested showing placards and shouting slogans. The Speaker adjourned the house and convened an all party meeting but as it failed to resolve the issue, he adjourned the house till 1030hrs tomorrow. The BJP and the Congress members have been demanding the ouster of Mr Mishra from the Ministry for his involvement in the murder. While BJP is demanding CBI probe, the Congress is demanding for a court monitored SIT probe into the incident. The treasury bench members sat on a dharna in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi alleging double standard practiced by BJP in Mamita Meher Murder case. Mr Pratap Deb (BJD)alleged that Mohanlal Sharma, the advocate fighting for Mr Gobind Sahu, the prime accused is an active member of the BJP .
While on the one hand BJP is making a hue and cry over the Mamita meher murder case inside and outside the house and demanding the resignation of Minister of state for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra on the other hand it engaged Mr Sharma to get Mr Gobind Sahu free.
He said, ‘’ we condemned this double standard of the BJP.’’.
But Oppositon Chief Whip Mohan Majhi denied the allegation made by the BJD. He said Mr Sharma is not a member of BJP, and the BJD is making the false allegation .
Mr Mohanlal Sharma told a private news channel that he was a supporter of BJP but not even a primary member of the party.
