Oppn, BJP Trade Charges in Odisha Assembly, Move Breach of Privilege Notices

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly on Monday witnessed a ruckus by the opposition Biju Janata Dal and Congress over Chief Minister Mohan Majhi announcing reservations for Agniveers outside when the House is in session.

The Chief Minister announced on July 26 while leaving for Delhi to attend the NITI Aayog meeting that the state will have a 10 per cent reservation and 5-year age relaxation for Agniveers in the uniformed services.

On Monday, senior Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati moved a breach of privilege notice against CM Majhi for making the announcement outside the Assembly while the House is in session.

As soon as the zero hour proceedings started, Speaker Surama Padhy allowed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling to make a statement on the government’s decision regarding the Agniveers.

However, the members of Congress and BJD protested against the move to let the Parliamentary Affairs Minister make the statement.

The ruckus by the opposition demanding apologies from CM Majhi and action on the breach of privilege motion continued to rock the House prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House till 4 p.m. “The CM as the leader of the House should have made the declaration regarding reservation and age relaxation for Agniveers in the Assembly. The breach of privilege notice has been moved as he made the announcement outside when the House is in session,” said Bahinipati.

Similarly, BJP leader Irasis Acharya brought a breach of privilege motion against Tara Prasad Bahinipati for informing the mediapersons about the decision to move the privilege motion against the CM in the Assembly without taking the consent of the Speaker.

“Before coming to the Odisha Assembly, I saw media houses reporting about the Opposition’s move to bring a privilege motion and create a ruckus. Hence, I have moved a notice as what is going to happen in the Assembly cannot be mentioned outside without the consent of the Speaker,” Acharya said.

–IANS