Bhubaneswar, March 25: The Odisha Assembly proceedings were disrupted on Wednesday as opposition members created uproar demanding resignation of Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling over the tragic fire incident at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack that claimed 12 lives
The House witnessed two back-to-back adjournments.
As the House assembled at 10.30 AM to transact business, opposition Biju Janata Dal and the Congress members created a ruckus.
This led to uproar following which Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the proceedings for one hour till 11.30 AM first and then again till 12.30 PM before convening an all-party meeting to resolve the impasse.
Wearing black T-shirts as a mark of protest, opposition legislators trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans, demanding the resignation of the Health Minister.
After Speaker adjourned the House till 11.30 AM, the protesting members staged a demonstration near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the the Assembly premises.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP dismissed the opposition’s demands as baseless accused the BJD, the main opposition force in the State, of resorting to political theatrics to divert attention from internal issues within their parties.
“The BJD is divided now and is indulging in drama. They are trying to divert attention from the Biju-Naveen Foundation issue,” said BJP MLA Ashok Mohanty.
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan, during Zero Hour, also slammed the opposition for disrupting the House proceedings and said around Rs 12 crore in taxpayer money has been lost because of the disruptions being caused by the opposition members.
