Bhubaneswar: Orissa Assembly was stalled
on Wednesday as Opposition Congress stormed into the well alleging
involvement of two ministers in the coal scam and demanding a
statement by the Chief Minister besides a debate on the issue.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, Leader of
Opposition Bhupinder Singh drew the Speaker`s attention to
reports on alleged involvement of Urban Development Minister
Badrinarayan Patra and School and Mass Education Minister
Pratap Jena in the coal scam and demanded a debate on the
matter suspending question hour.
Singh said the two BJD ministers were allegedly involved
in the coal scam during their tenure as the chairman of
state-owned Orissa Small Scale Industries Corporation
As his plea went unheeded, other Congress members trooped
into the well and some of them tried to climb the Speaker`s
table to press for their demand, leading to uproar in the
House on the opening day of the second phase of the monsoon
session after a fortnight long break.
As Speaker Pradip Amat`s plea for order to allow the
question hour before taking up any other matter fell on deaf
ears, he adjourned the House for an hour.
When the House reassembled, the opposition was informed
that the government was ready for discussion on an adjournment
motion moved by them on coal scam.
While Congress members insisted that Chief Minister
Naveen Patnaik make a statement on the alleged involvement of
the two ministers in the coal scam, Parliamentary Affairs and
Industries Minister Raghunath Mohanty said he was ready to
reply as the chief minister was away in Delhi for a meeting.
As pandemonium resurfaced with Congress members storming
into the well, the house was again adjourned till 3 pm.
PTI
