Bhubaneswar: May 13: SC/ST MLAs of Congress and BJP staged an innovative protest today in Assembly before the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. They protested lying stretched out on the ground demanding implementation of the ORV Act.
As the House assembled for the day, chief minister Naveen Patnaik moved a condolence motion for the demise of former minister Raghunath Patnaik. Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra, BJP legislature party chief Basant Panda also spoke on the motion. The legislators were sitting on Dharna near Speaker’s podium during the condolence speech. Suddenly, they approached the Chief Minister and put their demand lying stretched out on the ground. Following which, Speaker adjourned the house till 12.30 PM. However, Chief Minister did not react anything and left the house.
Notably, demanding implementation of the Odisha Reservation of Vacancies (ORV) Act in the field of higher education, legislators belonging to the Congress and BJP started sitting in front of Chief Minister’s chamber in Assembly from 11th May. They have alleged that, state government was not implementing 38% reservation for SC/ST community in Medical and Engineering courses.
“We followed the Odia culture to put forth our demands. But, honourable chief minister, who has a hard heart, paid little respect to us,”, Congress MLA Prafulla Majhi said. “Irrespective of parties, I call upon all legislators to join us in our legitimate demand”, Majhi added.
Reacting to this style of protest, BJD asked the lawmakers to raise their voice in a democratic manner. “The sanctity of the Assembly should not be violated in any way. They should protest in a democratic way,” said BJD spokesperson Sashibhusan Behera.
BJP lawmaker Rabi Naik, who is among those on dharna, said; “We have not brought any disrepute to the sanctity of the Assembly. We have just raised a demand that is vital for the interests of 38% of the State’s people”.
The members of Opposition parties were evicted forcibly from in front of the CM’s chamber in the Assembly by the security personnel yesterday.
