Bhubaneswar, Aug 20 (IANS): The second phase of Odisha Assembly's Budget session began on a stormy note on Tuesday as the Opposition Congress created a ruckus in the house over students' union elections in the state.
Speaker Surama Padhy first adjourned the house for an hour till 11.41 a.m. The house was later adjourned again till 4 p.m. as the pandemonium continued even after it resumed.
After the condolence motion for former MLA from Jashipur, Sundar Mohan Majhi was passed in the house, the Congress leaders created a ruckus over the student union elections.
“The last student union elections were held in the state in 2017. The students enter politics through the student union elections which have not been held in the state since 2017,” said Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
He alleged that the previous Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government stopped the elections in colleges citing different reasons for the academic year 2018-19. The elections couldn’t be held for two years due to covid pandemic as well.
The senior Congress leader also said later that the then Minister and Secretary boycotted college elections fearing the defeat of BJD.
Bahinipati stated that the BJP government which had earlier declared to hold students' union elections refused to hold elections on Monday. He said that the Youth Congress will hold protests across the state if students’ union elections are not held.
Meanwhile, BJD leaders also joined the ruckus in the Assembly raising different issues including lack of any action against Governor Raghubar Das’ son over the alleged assault on an ASO.
They also raised issues regarding the expunging of the statement made by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling regarding the arrest of the Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik from the house proceedings and the privilege motion against Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over the announcement for Agniveer outside when the house was in session.
The ruling BJP leader Saroj Kumar Padhy said that steps are being taken to hold student union elections and he also announced that the elections will be held next year.