The Odisha Legislative Assembly witnessed intense uproar on Thursday as the contentious Polavaram project issue led to a heated confrontation between the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJD’s attempt to raise the matter through an adjournment motion was rejected by Speaker Surama Padhy, citing that the issue is sub judice in the Supreme Court, sparking protests and repeated adjournments of the House.
The session began with BJD legislators storming the well of the House, raising slogans and demanding a discussion on the Polavaram project, which they claim threatens to submerge half of the Malkangiri district in Odisha. The Speaker’s ruling—that matters pending in the Supreme Court cannot be discussed in the Assembly—failed to pacify the BJD members, leading to a noisy standoff. Consequently, the House was adjourned multiple times, from 10:34 AM to 11:30 AM, from 11:33 AM to 12:15 PM, and finally, until 4 PM.
Outside the Assembly, accusations flew thick and fast between the two parties. BJD leaders alleged that the BJP avoided a discussion to conceal its “true face,” claiming the Polavaram project’s expansion, backed by the central government, jeopardizes Odisha’s interests.
Senior BJD MLA Arun Sahu criticized the state and central governments, both led by the BJP or its allies, for failing to protect Odisha’s tribal communities and identity. “The project work is in full swing with Rs 16,000 crore from the Centre, yet the Odisha government lacks the courage to raise its voice,” Sahu said, accusing the BJP of misleading the public.
In response, BJP MLA Irashish Acharya condemned the BJD for disrupting the House and stalling public welfare discussions. “It’s unfortunate that BJD is shutting down the Assembly over an issue under Supreme Court review. This is a deliberate attempt to confuse people,” he said, emphasizing that Assembly rules prohibit debates on sub judice matters.
The Congress legislature party also joined the fray, with its leader Rama Chandra Kadam submitting a notice for discussion and party MLAs staging a sit-in near the Gandhi statue in the Assembly premises before entering the House during Zero Hour to press their demand.
The Polavaram project, a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh, has long been a bone of contention for Odisha, with fears that its expansion could displace tribal communities and flood large parts of Malkangiri. Despite the Speaker’s ruling, BJD legislators persisted with their protests, alleging a conspiracy between the BJP-led central government and the Andhra Pradesh government to sideline Odisha’s concerns.
As the deadlock continues, the Polavaram issue remains a flashpoint, exposing deep political fault lines in Odisha ahead of the monsoon season, when the project’s impact could become more evident.
