Furore in Orissa Assembly for the second day

Bhubaneswar,Nov 20 (UNI) For the second consecutive day today, the Orissa Assembly witnessed furore over the Opposition's demand for a discussion on police action on the farmers and teachers forcing Speaker Maheswar Mohanty to adjourn the House without transacting any business.

As the House assembled for the day, Leader of Opposition J B Pattnaik rose to say that the Opposition had proposed to hold a discussion on the burning issues of the farmers and the teachers to which Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also agreed.

The opposition members carrying posters on the government's anti farmers policy started shouting slogans and trooped into the well demanding the cancellation of the Question Hour.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raghunath Mohanty then stood up to say that the government was ready for discussion but it should not be held in a disturbed atmosphere and the matter could be taken up after the question hour.

But Congress member Nalini Mohanty demanded that the matter be discussed first suspending all business of the House. Congress Deputy Leader Narashingha Mishra, rising on a point of order, demanded that the matter being of public interest, be discussed under 113 (B) and taken up for voting.

The Speaker then said since there has been no consensus over the modalities of the discussion, the matter could be sorted out after the question hour.

But a determined Opposition did not pay any heed to the Speaker's request and trooped into the well, shouting slogans against the government for pursuing anti-farmer and anti-teacher policy.

Sensing the mood of the Opposition members, the Speaker adjourned the house till 1030 tomorrow.

The Opposition and treasury bench members yesterday also indulged in a scuffle over the showing of a banner in the well by Congress members T P Bahinipati and Anup Sai forcing the Chair to adjourn the House twice till 1500 hours for lunch.

The House reassembled after lunch but was again adjourned thrice and finally for the day at 16 45 hours after the supplementary budget was presented by Finance Minister P C Ghadei amidst slogan shouting by the opposition.

UNI