Oppn stall Assembly proceedings for the sixth day

Bhubaneswar, Mar 27: A determined Opposition stalled the business of the Orissa Assembly for the sixth day today forcing the Speaker to adjourn the house thrice and finally for lunch.

The Opposition has been demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the 'deteriorating' law and order in the state and Excise Minister Kalandi Behera holding him responsible for the Ganjam liquor tragedy.

Like previous days, the Opposition trooped into the well and shouted slogans when the House assembled for the day to take up the question hour.

Speaker Maheswar Mohanty appealed to the Opposition members to go to their seats and cooperate. He said the House was unable to take up any business for the last five days.

Mr Mohanty said the government had already ordered a judicial probe into the Ganjam liquor tragedy and the chief minister had made a statement on the Naxalite attack on R Udayagiri town.

The Speaker said the house could not be stalled on these two issues and asked the Opposition to discuss the matter through some other forum.

But the agitated Opposition did not relent and went on shouting demanding the resignation of the chief minister and the excise minister.

Congress members Tara Prasad Bahinipati and Anup Sai tried to snatch away some papers from the Speaker's table but were prevented by the security.

The Speaker then adjourned the House for one hour amid protest from the treasury bench members. As the House reassembled at 1200 hours, the treasury bench members were seen rushing into the well urging the Chair not to allow any point of order or adjourn the house.

But the Chair adjourned the House for 30 minutes as the Opposition rushed to the well to disrupt the business. The Assembly resumed at 1230 hours to be adjourned till lunch at 1500 hours.

UNI