Normalcy returns to Odisha Assembly as Congress, BJP shun agitation

BHUBANESWAR: The four-day long deadlock inn the Odisha Assembly ended today with opposition Congress and BJP shunning agitation and agreeing to cooperate for smooth functioning of the House.

After an all-party meeting chaired by Speaker Niranjan Pujari, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh said the Opposition leaders assured the government to cooperate with it to run the House smoothly from Monday.

"The meeting was more or less successful. We have assured the ruling party members of cooperating with them in the discussion. But we will oppose and protest if the House does not take up our demands for discussion," Leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra said as the House reassembled in the post-lunch session this afternoon.

Mishra said the ruling party has agreed to allow a discussion on the High Court verdict on the IPS officer Prakash Mishra case, where Orissa High Court indicted the state government and the state Chief Minister.

Narasingh Mishra's statement in the Assembly came after the all-party meeting discussed the issues for which the proceedings of the House continued to get disrupted.

While Congress has been demanding a discussion on the Prakash Mishra case, the ruling BJD is opposed to the debate. The Speaker had rejected a Congress notice to hold an adjournment motion on the issue.

Protesting against denial of permission to discuss the issue, Congress had been protesting and shouting anti-Naveen Patnaik slogans since past four days. They were also displaying banners and placards in the House.

The all-party meeting, however, unanimously decided that henceforth no members would be allowed to take banners or placards inside the House, BJP state president and senior MLA K V Singhdeo said.

"It was decided that the House would discuss the fake godman issue on Monday, the law and order situation on Tuesday, Nabakalebara and Brahma Paribartan irregularities on Wednesday, agitating teachers problem on Thursday and drought situation on Friday," the minister added.

The House deferred the discussion on the Land Grabbing (Prevention) Bill, 2015 to Monday as per request of the leader of opposition.

Earlier in the day, Congress members attended the House wearing black badges and protested over the Prakash Mishra issue and against manhandling of a party MLA by the members of the Treasury bench in the House yesterday.

The House was adjourned till 3 pm.