Chaotic Orissa assembly adjourned for the day

Bhubaneswar, Aug 25: Pandemonium prevailed in the Orissa Assembly as agitated BJP members trooped into the well and shouted slogans to protest the killing of VHP Leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, forcing Speaker Kishore Mohanty to adjourn the House for one hour and finally for the day. The trouble began soon after the House adopted the obituary reference on the death of a former member and the police personnel who laid down their lives fighting against the Naxalites, to take up the Question Hour at 1103 hours.

Most of the BJP members present in the House rushed into the well and started raising slogans, condemning the killing of the VHP leader.

As the din continued despite the Speaker's request to the BJP members to go back to their seat and cooperate with the business of the House, the Chair adjourned the House for one hour.

The House reassembled at 1203 hours but the determined BJP members did not allow the House to function, demanding the arrest of the assailants involved in the killing of the VHP leader and four others at Jalaspeta Ashrma on the night of August 23.

BJP member Prakash Sharanghi and Baidhar Mallik stood on the reporter's table and criticised the police administration for its failure to protect the life of Swami Laxmananada Saraswati.

The Opposition Congress, however, dubbed the action of the BJP members as a 'high drama' and asked them to withdraw their support to the government.

The din continued inside the well for six minutes and the Speaker finally adjourned the House for the day at 1209 hours without taking up any business.

The House assembled at 1030 hours today to take up the obituary references which continued till 1100 hours but then trouble started when the Speaker went ahead with the Question Hour business.

The BJP members immediately trooped into the well and started raising slogans, condemning the killing of the Swamiji. They refused to pay any heed to the Speaker's request to return to their seats and participate in the Question Hour.

The BJP members demanded that the House be adjourned in view of Orissa bandh. Incidentally, the BJP has extended its support to the bandh called by the VHP, Bajrang Dal and several Hindu outfits, condemning the killing of the VHP leader and four others by unknown assailants at Jalaspeta Ashrma in Kandhmal district on the night of August 23.

Mr Mohanty then asked Leader of Opposition J B Pattnaik to speak as he was seen drawing the Speaker's attention to raise a point of order.

Mr Pattnaik, while expressing concern over the killing of the Swamiji and the deteriorating law and order situation, said the Opposition had moved an Adjournment Motion to debate the issue and urged the Speaker to suspend the Question Hour and take up the Adjournment Motion.

As the din continued inside the well, the Congress members shouted ''shame, shame'' and asked the BJP members to withdraw from the government.

Unable to bring the situation under control, the Speaker then adjourned the House for one hour. The House reassembled after one hour but was again adjourned for the day as pandemonium prevailed with the ruling BJP members occupying the well and disrupting the business of the House in support of their demand.

UNI