Orissa assembly stalled over dal scam

Bhubaneswar, Feb 21 (PTI) Amidst pandemonium, theOrissa assembly was stalled over dal scam with frequentadjournments as Congress members stormed into the welldemanding probe into irregularities in supply of pulses formid-day meal (MDM) and other schemes in all 30 districts.

Raising the issue, Congress stalwart and leader ofopposition Bhupinder Singh accused BJD government of failingto keep its promise made at an all-party meet about probe intoscam in supply of dal for MDM and supplementary nutritionprogramme (SNP) meant for children and pregnant women.

Though the government had promised to produce allinformation and documents relating to the scam before thehouse, it was yet to do so, he claimed during zero hour.

Similarly, the state government was yet to widen thepurview of investigation by the anti-corruption vigilancedepartment to cover all the 30 districts of the state, Singhsaid adding the probe was still confined to five districts.

Angry over government''s failure to keep its word,Congress legislators trooped into the well shouting slogansand creating noisy scenes to press their demand.

BJP members resorted to slogan shouting to attack thegovernment from their seats.

As uproarious scenes appeared repeatedly and appealsfrom the Chair for restoration of order went unheeded, thehouse was adjourned six times.