BJD Raises Questions over Presence of Speaker, Deputy Speaker at BJP Party Office during PM Modi’s Visit

Bhubaneswar: Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has raised serious questions over the presence of Speaker and Deputy Speaker at the BJP party office during the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.

The Speaker and Deputy Speaker, who hold a constitutional post, should not visit the party office. By doing so, it is evident that they are working for a particular political party, said BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deb.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Odisha BJP headquarters on Friday and spent around two hours at the party office during which he interacted with its leaders and workers. However, the presence of Speaker Surama Padhy and Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi in the BJP party meeting has been strongly criticized by the BJD.

The duty of the Speaker is to maintain the decorum and dignity of the House. No one is above the Constitution or the law. By attending the party programme, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker have dishonored the constitutional posts they are holding, Deb added.