Bhubaneswar, September 2: The Odisha Assembly was engulfed in chaos today as opposition members from the BJD and Congress created a ruckus, demanding the extension of the Subhadra Yojana to include all women in the state.
The disruption began following the obituary motion for the late former Congress MLA Aswani Guru, which was adopted by the House. After observing a minute of silence in his honor, the session shifted to the question hour. As Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi began his response, BJD and Congress legislators stormed the well of the House, chanting slogans against the government. They accused the BJP of failing to fulfill its election promise related to the Subhadra Yojana.
Due to the uproar, Speaker Surama Padhi adjourned the House from 10:37 AM to 11:37 AM. Upon reconvening, the disruptions resumed, leading to further adjournments at 1:00 PM and then until 4:00 PM. Opposition members continued to block proceedings, insisting that all women in the state should be included under the Subhadra Yojana.
Outside the House, BJD Chief Whip Pramila Mallick criticized the BJP government for not delivering on its pledge to provide a Rs. 50,000 cash voucher to every woman. In contrast, BJP MLAs Ashok Mohanty and Babu Singh accused the opposition of deliberately obstructing legislative business and misrepresenting the scheme’s benefits. They defended the Subhadra Yojana, which they said provides Rs. 10,000 annually for five years to eligible women aged 21-60.
The continuous disruptions rendered the question hour and other parliamentary business ineffective, leaving the House unable to address its scheduled agenda.
