By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The 2nd day of the Budget Session of Odisha State Assembly was on Saturday witnessed adjournments for over 8 times throughout the day after the Speaker SN Patro ruled that Media would not allow to report the unholy scenes inside the House with Opposition BJP and Congress stalling the proceedings.
Chaos prevailed in the House as soon as the Question Hour began at 10.30 am with Congress and BJP legislators urging the Speaker to reconsider the ruling and allow the media to report the happenings in the House.
As the Speaker was silent on their demands, the noisy scenes continued, leading to adjournment, first till 11.30 AM and then late in the afternoon.
The Speaker in a ruling on Friday had directed both the print and electronic media not to report the ruckus inside the House and put a ban on using the name of Members staging agitation, inviting strong criticisms from the BJP and the Congress.
Leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik of the BJP said that the speaker’s ruling is “detrimental” to the democratic rights of the legislators, and demanded its immediate withdrawal.
Congress Lawmaker Tara Bahinipati said, “The Speaker’s ruling is not acceptable in a democracy. If the MLAs don’t protest in the Assembly where should they go? The lawmakers have democratic rights to protest in the Assembly.”
Government Chief Whip Pramilla Mallick said, “The speaker’s ruling is constitutional and as per the provisions being followed in the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha and other state Assemblies.”
With the adjournment, the House could not discuss the death of 10 persons due to electrocution in a bus in the Ganjam district recently.
No business could also be conducted and later matter was sorted out with discussion taken up and Speaker directed officials to be present in the House during discussions
