Bhubaneswar, July 18: Odisha Assembly on Monday witnessed uproarious scenes during zero hour over the imposition of GST on certain bare essential food items consumed by common men and poor people of the state.
Opposition Congress members trooped into the well of the house, shouted slogans and disrupted the proceedings protesting against the imposition of GST on certain food items.
As the protest grew, Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukh was forced to adjourn the house twice, first at 1150hrs for ten minutes and again at 1205hrs till 1600hrs.
The Congress members urged the Speaker to allow a resolution to pass in the house demanding the withdrawal of the tax on food items.They also demanded a statement from the Finance Minister in the house on the issue.
Several food items like puffed rice, flattened rice, parched rice, rice, wheat, curd, lassi, jaggery and milk attracted 5 percent GST from Monday after the GST Council meeting decided to lift the tax exemption on some packaged and labelled items.
The issue was first raised by Tara Prasad Bahinipati (Cong) and later supported by his party colleagues Santosh Singh Saluja and Suresh Chandra Routray.
The members said in Odisha, puffed rice, flattened rice, parched rice , curd, milk, jaggery is consumed by poor people and also offered as Prasad in temples.
If tax is imposed on these items, poor people will be affected and the baby food would become dearer.
The agitated Congress members rushed to the well shouted slogans in support of their demand and demanded its withdrawal. The Speaker appealed to the members to return to their seats and cooperate in smooth conduct of the business of the house. But the Congress members did not pay any heed to the Speaker’s appeal and continued their slogan shouting forcing the Speaker to adjourn the house twice.
With IANS Inputs….
