Odisha Assembly adjourned amid ruckus over 'irregularities' in paddy procurement

The Odisha Assembly was adjourned till the post-lunch session on Saturday as MLAs of the opposition BJP created a ruckus over alleged mismanagement in the procurement of paddy in the state.

Noisy scenes were seen during the Zero Hour when BJP members rushed to the well of the House, seeking a statement from the government on the issue.

They raised slogans against the BJD dispensation and demanded an extension of the deadline for the procurement exercise from March 31 to April 15.

Leader of Opposition PK Naik urged Speaker S N Patro to give a direction to Food Supplies and Cooperation Minister R P Swain to make a statement on the status of the paddy procurement.

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Patro's request to BJP members seeking their cooperation failed to yield any result, forcing him to adjourn the House till 4 pm.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA SS Saluja moved a breach of privilege notice against Minister of State for Home DS Mishra.

The Congress legislator said a white paper on the law and order situation is usually circulated among members of the House, one day ahead of the demand discussion relating to the home department.

However, this time the same was distributed on the day of the discussion.

The Congress member urged Patro to refer the matter to the Privilege Committee of the Assembly.

Claiming that the law and order situation has deteriorated in Odisha, the Congress member alleged that the House could not hold the discussion as the government tried to avoid the debate on the issue.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister BK Arukha rejected the allegation and said the discussion on the home department's budgetary demand was shifted from March 22 to March 26 as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was busy during the recent visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to the state.