Orissa Assembly adjourned for day over Naxal issue

Bhubaneswar, Feb 20 (UNI) The Orissa Assembly was adjourned for the second consecutive day today without conducting any business over the Opposition demand for a discussion on the Nayagarh Naxalite attack.

The House witnessed uproarious scenes right from the question hour leading to its adjournment thrice and finally for the day without any business.

However, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik under the direction of the Speaker managed to make a statement at the fag end of the day on the combing operation, carried out by security personnel against the Naxalites amidst anti-government slogan shouting by the Opposition.

Yesterday, the House witnessed pandemonium leading to a scuffle between the Opposition and Treasury members over the issue and the House was adjourned for the day without transacting any business.

As the House assembled for the day to take up the question hour, Leader of Opposition J B Patnaik stood up and reiterated the demand for a discussion on the motion moved by them.

Speaker Maheswar Mohanty, however, ruled that the motion would be taken tomorrow and appealed to the Opposition to cooperate and take part in the proceedings of the House.

The Leader of Opposition said the Opposition would participate in the question hour provided the Speaker assured them that the motion would be taken up for discussion after the question hour.

At this Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raghunath Mohanty said since the Chair had already given a direction to take up the motion for discussion tomorrow, the Opposition members should participate in the proceedings of the House without wasting any time.

However, the Opposition members were in no mood to buy the logic and insisted on the discussion today.

Meanwhile, Mr Taraprasad Bahinipati, Mr Satyabhushan Sahu and Padmalocahan Panda (all Cong) trooped into the well of the House and shouted raising slogans.

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