Odisha Assembly witnesses ruckus over women safety, disrespect to Biju Patnaik
Bhubaneswar, March 7 (IANS) The first day of the second phase of the budget session on Friday witnessed aggressive protests by the legislators of opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress over disrespect to former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik and rising incidents of violence against women in Odisha.
Amid the opposition pandemonium, speaker of Odisha Assembly Surama Padhy adjourned the House till Monday.
As soon as the proceedings of the house began on Friday, several members of the opposition BJD and Congress who were gathered near the podium of the Speaker started shouting slogans holding placards.
Speaker Padhy first adjourned the house till 12 p.m. and later till 4 p.m. amid din by Opposition members.
Meanwhile, the legislators of both Congress and BJD held protests under the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Biju Patnaik inside the assembly premises over safety of women in the state under the BJP rule and disrespect to the legendary ‘Biju Babu’.
As the opposition continued to create ruckus in the house even after the proceedings resumed at 4 pm, the speaker adjourned the house till Monday. Meanwhile, the opposition BJD legislators staged a walk out from the assembly and along with other party workers went to the Raj Bhavan to convey their concerns to governor Hari Babu Kambhampati.
They submitted a memorandum to the governor seeking his intervention in the matter related to the ‘arbitrary’ shifting of Panchayati Raj Diwas to April 24 from March 5, the birth anniversary of Biju Babu.
The party stated in the memorandum that the state cabinet in 1993 had decided to observe Biju Patnaik’s birthday as the Panchayati Raj Diwas, acknowledging his contributions to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system. BJD asserted that this is the first celebration of Panchayati Raj Diwas in the entire country.
The party claimed that Panchayati Raj Divas was observed on March 5 even during the Congress rule from 1995 to 2000 and BJD-BJP Coalition Government from 2000-2009.
“Unfortunately, the present BJP government suddenly in the night of 3rd March, 2025 scrapped the Cabinet decision of 1993 by an executive order and announced shifting of Panchayati Raj and Lokaseva Divas to 24th of April with a political motive to demean the contribution of a towering personality like Biju Babu,” alleged the party.
The principal opposition party also raised objections over G.A. Department Notification that mentioned Bijayananda Patnaik in place of Biju Patnaik although he had been using the word Biju Babu for all official purposes since long.
The party demanded that the legacy of Biju Babu as a national treasure should be carried on by Governments, no matter which party is in power.
“We, therefore, demand and pray that the kind intervention of Hon’ble Governor would make the Government to reverse its executive order forthwith and restore the faith of four and half crore Odias in the undying legacy of the great freedom fighter Biju Babu,” urged opposition BJD.
–IANS
gyan/pgh
