Speaker adjourns Odisha Assembly twice amid farmer issue ruckus

BJP blamed the state government for their 'anti-farmer' stance while the ruling BJD blamed the Centre for not hiking MSP to paddy growers

The Odisha Assembly, on Friday, witnessed a ruckus over the farmers' issue by both treasury and opposition members forcing Speaker BK Arukha to adjourn the proceeding twice till the post-lunch session.

As soon as the House assembled for Question Hour at 10.30 am, the opposition Congress and BJP members were already present at the well and shouted anti-government slogans holding the BJD dispensation of adopting an "anti-farmer" approach.

While some of the agitating opposition members attempted to climb the Speaker’s podium, the ruling BJD members also rushed to the well of the House leading to a face-off situation forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for one hour till 11.30 am.

As the House re-assembled and sloganeering continued, the speaker announced his decision to adjourn the proceeding till the post-lunch session at 4 pm.

Read | Odisha only state to have doubled farmers' income: CM Naveen Patnaik

While opposition members accused the state government of adopting an "anti-farmer" stand in payment of crop insurance, drought input subsidy and paddy procurement difficulties, the BJD members blamed the BJP-led central government for not hiking the MSP to paddy cultivators and not implementing the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Committee for raising the income of farmers.

As the House remained adjourned, the members of the ruling Biju Janata Dal staged a sit-in near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Assembly premises demanding the rise of MSP on paddy by the central government. The treasury bench members including ministers later marched to Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to Governor demanding Rs 2,930 per quintal MSP on paddy.

The BJP members also staged a sit-in dharna in another place highlighting the state government’s "failure" in assisting farmers at the appropriate time.

The first day of the winter session of the assembly on Thursday witnessed a similar uproar over a blackmailing issue as the Opposition demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his silence over the issue.

The winter session of the Odisha Assembly will continue till December 31.