Bhubaneswar, December 10: The Winter Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly was adjourned sine die on Friday, 20 days ahead of schedule.
Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro announced the culmination of the Winter Session, stating that the House has no important official business pending.
The Session which was scheduled to end on December 31, was completely washed out over the lady teacher Mamita Meher murder case. But the Session was abruptly adjourned today just after nine sittings.
The opposition – BJP and Congress – members sat on a dharna, skipped the valedictory business and walked out in protest after Speaker Surajya Narayan Patro adjourned the House sine die.
Government Chief Whip Pramila Mallik moved a motion stating that the House has no more business to conduct and should be adjourned sine die in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The motion was moved by the Government Chief Whip just after the CAG report was tabled and the House approved the Appropriation Bill amidst ruckus by the opposition Congress and BJP members demanding ouster of Minister of State for Home Department Dibya Shankar Mishra over the Mamita Meher murder case.
The Winter Session which commenced on December 1 last was originally scheduled to have 26 sittings and to continue till December 31.
Except for the obituary reference, laying off some papers and reports, statement of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Mamita Meher murder case and passing of bills, the House did not transact any other business, even the crucial Question Hour.
From the very first day, both the opposition parties, BJP and Congress, were demanding removal of Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged link with the prime accused in Mamita Meher murder case.
As the Government didn’t accept their demand, the opposition continued to create ruckus in the House till today. On the other side, the Treasury Bench members also created uproar in the House targeting the Centre over several issues including price rise and denial of giving the first independence war tag to Paika Bidroha.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had made a statement in the Assembly over the Mamita Meher murder issue assuring the House that his Government is committed to give justice to the victim. The Speaker has also conveyed all party meetings several times, but to no avail.
The Assembly witnessed innovative kinds of protests like beating gongs and sprinkling of ‘Ganga Jal’ during the session both by the Opposition and Treasury bench.
Except the Appropriation Bill, not a single Bill either introduced or passed in the Assembly during the nine business days. The House had passed a resolution authorising the State Government to move the Centre for declaring the 1817 ‘Paika Bidroha’ as the first war of Independence.
