Vedant funding issue:Opposition meets Governor

Bhubaneswar, Jul 06 (UNI) The Opposition in Orissa today met Governor Rameswar Thakur and submitted a memorandum demanding a CBI inquiry into the funding of political parties in the state by the Vedant Trust.

The Assembly witnessed a stalemate for the third day with the Opposition insisting on a discussion on a fax message submitted by Government Chief Whip Kishore Chandra Mohanty in the House on Wednesday opposing any discussion on Vedant funding.

As the House assembled for the day today to take up the Question hour, Opposition Congress members stood up and reiterated their demand for a discussion on the fax message suspending all other business.

The members rushed to the well and shouted slogans against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik when Speaker Maheswar Mohanty,ignoring their plea,went ahead with the Question hour.

Pandemonium prevailed and the Speaker was forced to adjourn the House till 1200 hours.

Soon after the House adjourned Opposition members, led by their leader J B Pattnaik, marched to the Governor's house to submit a memorandum apprising Rameswar Thakur of the situation in the House.

They also demanded a CBI inquiry into the Vedant funding.

As the House reassembled at 1200 hours, the leader of the Opposition stood up to say that he wanted to speak on the issue through a point of order. But he was not allowed by the Speaker.

Mr Pattnaik said the Opposition had submitted a memorandum to the Governor demanding a CBI inquiry into the Vedant Trust funding and Mr Thakur had promised the delegation to take appropriate steps in this regard.

The stalemate which continued for the third day today was put to end and the Opposition participated in the House proceedings.

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