The Odisha Legislative Assembly witnessed sharp exchanges on Tuesday as BJP MLA Babu Singh lashed out at the Opposition BJD and Congress for stalling the House proceedings, accusing them of wasting public money and neglecting people’s issues.
Singh pointed out that every day of Assembly proceedings costs the government around ₹70 lakh, yet the Opposition continues to disrupt discussions.
“The Question Hour has come to a halt. ₹70 lakh is spent daily to run the House, and the Opposition is sacrificing public interest by repeatedly stalling the session. People are watching them. If they continue this, they may not even retain their seats in the Opposition next time,” Singh warned, directly targeting the BJD.
BJD Defends Protest, Calls It Democratic Right
Responding to Singh’s remarks, BJD MLA Arun Sahoo countered that it is the government’s duty to ensure smooth functioning of the House. He justified their protest as a democratic means to raise grievances.
“BJD is ready for discussion, but the government is ignoring public issues. That’s why we staged a demonstration at the Assembly gates to register our protest,” Sahoo said.
Congress Raises Concern Over Women’s Safety
Congress Legislative Party leader Ramachandra Kadam also slammed the government, accusing it of turning a blind eye to the rising crimes against women in Odisha.
“Over the past eight to nine months, crimes like rape and murder have increased drastically. Women and children are going missing in large numbers, but the government is doing nothing concrete,” Kadam alleged, demanding accountability from the ruling BJP.
The heated arguments reflect growing political tensions in the state as critical social issues remain unresolved while Assembly disruptions continue.