Opposition paralyse Orissa Assembly for fourth day

Bhubaneswar, Nov 22 (UNI) The Orissa Assembly could not transact any business for the fourth day today as the Opposition insisted on a demand under Section 113(B) to condemn the recent police action on farmers at Burla.

Stalemate prevailed in the House right from the Question Hour with the Opposition, carrying banners and posters, trooped into the well and shouted slogans in support of their demand.

Speaker Maheswar Mohanty had to adjourn the House till 1230 hrs after he failed to convince an agitated Opposition to move the motion under 113(C) instead of 113(B), which has the provision of voting after the debate.

The House reassembled but was again adjourned by Deputy Speaker Prahallad Dora till 1500 hrs without transacting any business.

Earlier, as the House assembled for the day, Congress chief whip Satya Bhusan Sahu, rising on a point of order, drew the Speaker's attention to the fact that the wording of the Opposition sponsored motion, mentioned in the list of business, had been changed.

He demanded that the motion be discussed under 113(B) and not under 113(C) as listed in the business of the House. At this Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raghunath Mohanty stood up to say that the Business Advisory Committee yesterday decided to discuss the motion under 113(C).

But this was vehemently opposed by the Opposition and Congress member Nalini Mohanty said no such decision had been taken by the Business Advisory meeting. He said if the government was prepared for a discussion then why was it scared of voting.

NCP's Arun Dey stressed that the issue, whether water from the Mahanadi system should be released to the farmers or to the industries, be discussed in the House.

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