The second day of the Budget Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly witnessed intense disruptions on Wednesday, leading to the adjournment of the House till 11:30 am. The adjournment followed protests by Opposition members over alleged irregularities in paddy procurement across the state.
Soon after the session began, legislators from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Indian National Congress raised slogans against the state government, alleging large-scale mismanagement at paddy mandis and delays affecting farmers.
Dramatic Protest Inside the House
Opposition members entered the Well of the House carrying bundles of paddy to symbolically highlight farmers’ grievances. Senior BJD leader Romanch Ranjan Biswal drew attention by entering the Assembly with a bundle of paddy on his head.
In a further escalation of the protest, members placed paddy bundles on the reporters’ table, demanding immediate intervention to resolve procurement delays and address alleged irregularities impacting cultivators.
Speaker Appeals for Order
Speaker Surama Padhy repeatedly urged members to maintain order and allow the House to function. However, the sloganeering and disruptions continued, making it impossible to conduct scheduled proceedings.
With no business transacted, the Speaker adjourned the Assembly till 11:30 am.
Budget Session Agenda Disrupted
As per the listed agenda, discussions on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s Budget address were scheduled to commence on Wednesday and continue the following day. However, repeated disruptions have raised concerns about the smooth functioning of the ongoing Budget Session.
The paddy procurement issue remains a key political flashpoint, with Opposition parties demanding accountability and timely payments to farmers.
