Speaker adjourns Odisha Assembly till 4 pm as Opposition MLAs protest over Polavaram project

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly on Friday was adjourned till 4 pm due to a din created by opposition Congress and BJD MLAs over the controversial Polavaram Dam project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

As soon as the House assembled for Question Hour, Congress members rushed to the well and staged a protest after their notice for a discussion on the Polavaram issue was rejected by the Speaker. They shouted anti-BJP slogans and accused the saffron party of sacrificing the interest of Odisha.

The opposition BJD members also shouted against the BJP government.

Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik urged Speaker Surama Padhy to bring the House in order before allowing the Question House. Padhy's request to Congress members to return to their seats, failed to yield any result forcing her to adjourn the House till 11.30 am.

When the House reassembled after adjournment, a similar scene was seen in the House and this time, the BJD members also joined the Congress members in the protest. Unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 4 pm.

Padhy said she could not allow a discussion on the Polavaram project as sought by Congress members because the matter was sub-judice.

Outside the Assembly, Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik said the BJD has always been fighting for the interest of the people of Odisha. "We will continue to do so," Patnaik said.

The BJD on Thursday had asked the Central government to halt the construction of the multi-purpose Polavaram project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh till issues related to the safety and well-being of the tribal people of Malkangiri district are resolved.