Odisha revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari on Monday launched a scathing attack on the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress for persistently stalling Assembly proceedings for over 10 days.
Bhubaneswar: Odisha revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari on Monday launched a scathing attack on the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress for persistently stalling Assembly proceedings for over 10 days.
Pujari said the Opposition members should respect the people’s mandate and fulfill their legislative duties by debating issues concerning the state.
“Around four crore and fifty lakh people of Odisha have sent us to the State Legislative Assembly to make laws, discuss their problems, and find solutions. However, they must be in pain now to see the House failing to function because of the Opposition’s lack of cooperation,” Pujari said.
The minister strongly criticised Congress members for bringing musical instruments like cymbals, trumpets, and shehnais into the House and playing them to disrupt proceedings.
“The musical instruments the Opposition members are playing in the House are usually used in social and religious functions. However, they are using them to disrupt Assembly proceedings. This kind of behavior is uncalled for. We urge the Opposition members to participate in legislative business and discuss people’s issues,” he said.
The minister, along with works and law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan and forest minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia, shared details about the time wasted due to the Opposition’s protests.
“I have gathered inputs from various sources, including the Assembly secretariat, that between March 10 and 18, nearly 35 hours of legislative business were lost due to protests by BJD and Congress lawmakers. Our salaries, emoluments, and other allowances come from taxpayers’ money. We owe it to them not to let them down,” Pujari said.
Reacting to Pujari’s statement, Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati said, “It is the responsibility of the treasury bench members to take the Opposition along. However, they do not appear serious about this. Don’t the people who pay the treasury bench members also expect them to run the House?”
The Congress has been demanding the formation of a House Committee to probe what it calls the “rising” crimes against women and the “sexual abuse” of girl children staying in state-run residential school hostels.
BJD member Goutam Buddha Das said, “The treasury bench members are responsible for the current impasse in the House. Let them find a solution to end the deadlock. We are ready to extend our cooperation only if the government heeds our demand to hold discussions on the issues we have raised.”
