Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly witnessed chaos on Monday when the opposition parties, BJD and Congress, staged protests against the ‘Subhadra Yojana’, alleging that the BJP government failed to deliver on the promises linked to the scheme.
The session was tumultuous from the start, with BJD and Congress members vocally disrupting the proceedings, demanding the inclusion of all women in the ‘Subhadra Yojana’. They claimed many women were being sidelined due to the government’s criteria.
During the session, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi put forth a condolence motion for Ashwini Kumar Guru, a former MLA. This motion was supported by Pramila Mallik, the chief secretary of the opposition, and Congress MLA Rama Chandra Kadam.
Speaker Surama Padhy offered condolences for the former member and his family, after which the question hour commenced. However, it was quickly interrupted by BJD and Congress members who stormed the centre of the house, chanting slogans and demanding changes to the ‘Subhadra Yojana’.
The disruption led to multiple adjournments by the Speaker, first from 10:39 to 11:37, and then further delays as the commotion persisted. Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi extended the adjournments due to ongoing heated debates.
When the session resumed, the opposition continued their loud protests, insisting on the inclusion of all women in the ‘Subhadra Yojana’ and accusing the government of deceit. Despite the Speaker’s efforts to restore order, the opposition remained adamant in their demands.
Consequently, Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi initially adjourned the assembly from 11:37 to 12:50 and then again from 12:50 to 1:00. As the assembly resumed, the opposition raised a clamour with vociferous slogans. They asserted that the inclusion of all women in the Subhadra Yojana is a perennial demand, proclaiming, “Deceiving women will not be tolerated.” Despite the Speaker’s repeated pleas for the opposition members to take their seats, they remained unyielding. As a result, the speaker adjourned the House again from 1:02 to 4:00.
Addressing the media outside the House, Opposition Party Chief Secretary Pramila Mallik stated, “In line with the promise, the BJD has called for the inclusion of all women in the state under the Subhadra Yojana, with a one-time payment of Rs 50,000. The government’s criteria have excluded many women. This has been a humiliation for women. Pramila insisted that the scheme should be expanded to encompass all women by removing the restrictive criteria.
Members of Congress have reiterated the claim that the first instalment of the Subhadra Yojana was to be received on Rakhi Purnima, as stated by Sophia Firdoss. However, with Rakhi Purnima having passed, there are now concerns regarding the disbursement of this instalment. The Congress party has called for the inclusion of women aged 60 to 80 years in the scheme. Sophia Firdoss has urged the government to honour its commitments.
Conversely, BJP MLA Babu Singh has remarked that the government frequently amends the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Despite the opposition’s call for an adjournment on the matter, disruptions continue during the question period. He asserts that the government is attentive to women’s issues, yet the opposition is prematurely escalating the situation.
