Bhubaneswar, Sep 6: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned twice on Friday over the proposed renaming of Ravenshaw University and a police case filed against a sitting MLA.
The house was adjourned as the opposition members from the BJD and Congress demanded the withdrawal of the police case.
The controversy arose during Zero Hour, just a day after police registered a case against three BJD leaders, including MLA Byomkesh Roy, based on a complaint by a student at the Malgodown police station.
The student accused Roy and others of threatening him with weapons during a torch rally protesting the suggested renaming of Ravenshaw University. The proposal for the name change was put forward by BJP leader and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during his visit to Cuttack on August 31.
During the assembly session, members from both opposition parties disrupted proceedings by storming the well of the House and chanting slogans against the BJP government. They accused the BJP of suppressing opposition voices and described the police action against Roy as "politically motivated" and an act of "vendetta politics."
In his defense, MLA Byomkesh Roy stated that he attended the torch rally at the invitation of some students but did not enter the Ravenshaw University campus. The rally, he said, took place from Clock Chowk to College Square, and he remained outside the university gate.
Roy argued that the charges against him were a form of political retaliation, similar to how the BJP allegedly uses central agencies like the CBI and ED against political opponents.
Roy found support from senior BJD member Ganeswar Behera, who strongly condemned the police action and labeled it as the beginning of vendetta politics by the BJP in Odisha.
Behera called the allegations against Roy "false, fabricated, and politically motivated," asserting that such actions would not be tolerated.
On the other hand, BJP MLA Irasish Acharya defended Dharmendra Pradhan's suggestion to rename Ravenshaw University. He argued that Thomas Edward Ravenshaw should be held accountable for the deaths of millions during the Great Odisha Famine of 1866, alleging that Ravenshaw went on a 70-day leave during the crisis instead of aiding the people.
Amid the uproar and unable to maintain order, Speaker Surama Padhy first adjourned the House until 12:30 PM. After the House reconvened, Congress members joined the BJD in protesting against the BJP government and demanded a statement from the state government on the issue. As the chaos continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings again until 4 PM.
