Bhubaneswar, Mar 20: The Odisha Legislative Assembly witnessed chaotic scenes on Friday, forcing adjournment of proceedings till 1 pm as Opposition parties intensified protests over the deadly fire at SCB Hospital. Speaker Surama Padhy convened an all-party meeting in a bid to resolve the ongoing stalemate.
Earlier in the day, the House was first adjourned till 11:30 am following disruptions by BJD and Congress MLAs. The legislators demanded the resignation of the Health Minister, holding placards and raising slogans such as “Double Engine, Double Dhoka” and “Health Minister Must Resign.” They accused the government of negligence in handling the tragic incident that claimed 13 lives.
The protest escalated when some MLAs attempted to climb onto the Speaker’s podium, leading to tense moments inside the Assembly. Security personnel had to intervene to prevent further escalation. The Opposition remained firm on its demand, refusing to allow normal proceedings.
Despite the uproar, Question Hour continued briefly. Minister Nityananda Gond responded to queries, while Suryabanshi Suraj addressed issues related to the National Education Policy-2020, though his response was largely drowned out by persistent protests.
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