Bhubaneswar: Orissa Assembly was on Tuesday
adjourned five times with both ruling BJD and opposition MLAs
storming into the well protesting against a satirical
programme by an Oriya tv channel using "objectionable" remarks
about many leaders incliding Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The issue was raised by BJD's Pradeep Maharathy
through a privilege motion during zero hour which was
supported by members of other parties including Congress and
NCP, who demanded immediate ban on airing of the programme.
Seeking action against the editor of the programme,
Maharathy said he should apologise for making such 'lewd'
remarks against politicians.
"The programme is simply assassinating character of
politicians," he said demanding a ruling from the chair.
As the speaker wanted to reserve his ruling, the
treasury bench members rushed to the well of the house
demanding specific instruction to the channel immediately as
the short session of the assembly was likely to end tomorrow.
"Politicians too have dignity," Arabinda Dhali of BJD
said. "The programme was not worth viewing with family."
Journalist turned BJD MLA Ashok Panda stressed on
limit of the channel as its contents hurt peoples
representative.
As the din continued over the issue, the speaker
adjourned the proceeding five times in quick succession.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 15:55