Bhubaneswar: Newly appointed Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das, whose political birth has been from the JP movement in 1977, seems to be the flag bearer of the famous three-word quote in the world of politics – Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!
The Odisha Congress has hit this ‘Agitate’ path espoused by prominent activist Frederick Douglass, in the State since the beginning of the Odisha Assembly Budget Session. The party, which keeps shrinking on the political landscape of the State, has hit the agitation path on the all-important issue of Women Safety.
The agitation approach of the Odisha Congress culminated today at the main political thoroughfare of the State Capital Thursday, when hundreds of Congress workers, leaders marched to gherao the State Assembly, where the BJP has been on the power seat.
CONGRESS – BJP RIIVALRY
The two national parties are known for their bitter rivalry. The political map of the State that has always been a bi-colour affair for years, attained a tinge of tri-colour with the advent of saffron party in the early 90s.
The rise of BJP has led to the waning of the Grand Old Party (GOP) in the State.
First, as the BJP had joined hands with BJD, Congress was unseated from the state power seat in 2000.
Later, post BJD parting ways with BJP, the saffron party has positioned itself as the alternative to BJD in the State’s political landscape.
Since then the GOP has been witnessing consistent decimation over the years.
The biggest chagrin for the GOP has been the big win of Modi-led BJP in the 2024 State Assembly Elections. The Saffron party’s ascent to Odisha power throne has been historic.
When the BJP is having 78 MLAs, the GOP headcount shrunk to 14.
And as the women voters in Odisha have crowned the BJP in Odisha, the GOP deems it fit to agitate on the issue of Women Safety to pin down the first BJP govt in the State.
Under the command of the new State Congress President, the GOP has a full plan of action at hand before the start of the State Assembly Budget Session.
For which, as soon as the rituals of Budget presentation was over, the party on the floor of the house switched on it’s AGITATE button to put the BJP on MAT.
SPEAKER HITS BACK
As the aggressive party leaders like senior Congressman Tara Bahinipati has led the AGITATION plan of the GOP, the Speaker Surama Padhy hits back and suspended the whole of the Congress block from the State Assembly.
SUSPENSION: SPEAKER’S RIGHT TAKE OR HIGHHANDEDNESS?
In order to answer the question, one has to go through the rules of the Odisha Assembly.
According to the rules laid in the Chapter 25, General Rule of Procedure, Section B details the rules need to be observed by members of the State Assembly. (Read the excerpts below)
B- Rules to be observed by Members
Rules to be observed by the members while present in the Assembly.
185. While the Assembly is sitting, a member-
(i) shall not read any book, newspaper or letter except in connection with the business of the Assembly;
(ii) Shall not interrupt any member while speaking by disorderly expression or noises or in any other disorderly manner;
(ix) shall not obstruct proceedings, his or interrupt and shall avoid making running commentaries when speeches are being made in the Assembly.
A glance at the above shows that the Speaker Surama Padhy has given a ruling on suspension of the Congress MLAs, following finding out of the violation of rules laid down in Odisha Assembly Statute Book.
WOMEN SAFETY: CONGRESS SERIOUS?
The GOP attacking the ruling BJP on women safety hints more at a political stunt by the GOP than putting the BJP on mat over this highly sensitive issue.
The Congress, under the new State President Bhakta Charan Das, has been more interested in galvanizing the party cadre and leader to take on the first BJP government in the State. The Congress AGITATE! AGITATE! AGITATAE! is purely a political strategy to revive the shrinking fortunes of the State Congress. The new president Bhakta Charan Das has seized this opportunity to infuse life in the congress workers on the ground.
Because, had the AGITATE been not a political strategy of Odisha Congress party, the GOP could have taken the first BJP govt to task by following the Assembly Rules and Procedures.
In the Chapter 9 of the Rule of Odisha State Assembly, there is a provision for Adjournment Motion, which any legislator of the GOP could have utilized for ensuing a debate on the floor house to bamboozle the BJP government on Women Safety. Here is the excerpt of the Rule given below.
Mode of asking for leave to move adjournment motion
61. (1) The Speaker, if he gives consent under rule 58 and holds that the matter proposed to be discussed is in order, shall after the questions and before the list of business is entered upon, call the member concerned who shall rise in his place and ask for leave to move the adjournment of the Assembly.
63. On a motion to adjourn for the purpose of discussion a definite matter of urgent public importance the only question that may be put shall be "That the Assembly do now adjourn"
Provided that the debate if not earlier concluded shall automatically terminate at the end of two hours and thereafter no question shall be put.
BOTTOMLINE
The above laid down Odisha Assembly Rules clearly show that the Grand Old Party had the avenues in the Legislative Assembly to censure the BJP govt, and had the Speaker Surama Padhy disallowed the adjournment motion, hitting of streets by Congress could have garnered more public attention and support.
But the Congress Party in a hurry has availed the DIRECT AGITATE path to galvanise its moribund organization.
