Chaos Erupts in Odisha Assembly Over Women’s Safety and Biju Patnaik’s Legacy
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Synopsis
On March 7, the Odisha Assembly saw significant turmoil as opposition parties protested against perceived disrespect to Biju Patnaik and the alarming rise in violence against women. The Speaker had to adjourn the session multiple times due to the disruptions, highlighting the ongoing political tensions in the state.
Key Takeaways
- Protests in Odisha Assembly over women's safety.
- Opposition voices concerns regarding Biju Patnaik's legacy.
- Speaker adjourns session multiple times due to chaos.
- Legislators present grievances to the governor.
- Call for restoration of Panchayati Raj Diwas date.
Bhubaneswar, March 7 (NationPress) The inaugural day of the second phase of the budget session on Friday was marked by intense protests from opposition legislators of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress regarding disrespect towards former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik and the increasing number of violence against women in Odisha.
In the midst of the uproar from the opposition, Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy suspended the House until Monday.
As the session commenced on Friday, various members of the BJD and Congress, gathered near the Speaker's podium, began chanting slogans and brandishing placards.
Speaker Padhy first adjourned the assembly until 12 p.m. and later extended it to 4 p.m., as the opposition continued to disrupt proceedings.
Simultaneously, BJD and Congress legislators protested beneath the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Biju Patnaik within the assembly grounds, voicing concerns over women's safety under the current BJP administration and the disrespect shown to the revered 'Biju Babu'.
Despite the resumption of proceedings at 4 p.m., the opposition persisted in their disruptions, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House until Monday. Concurrently, BJD legislators staged a walkout from the assembly and, alongside party workers, approached Raj Bhavan to express their grievances to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati.
They presented a memorandum to the governor seeking intervention regarding the 'arbitrary' decision to change the date of Panchayati Raj Diwas from March 5 to April 24, which coincides with Biju Babu's birthday.
The memorandum emphasized that in 1993, the state cabinet designated Biju Patnaik’s birthday as Panchayati Raj Diwas to recognize his contributions to enhancing the Panchayati Raj system. The BJD argued that this was the first celebration of Panchayati Raj Diwas in the entire nation.
The party asserted that Panchayati Raj Diwas was observed on March 5 even during the Congress governance from 1995 to 2000 and the BJD-BJP Coalition Government from 2000-2009.
“Regrettably, the current BJP government abruptly overturned the cabinet decision of 1993 through an executive order on the night of March 3, 2025, shifting the Panchayati Raj and Lokaseva Divas to April 24 for political reasons aimed at undermining the legacy of a significant figure like Biju Babu,” the party alleged.
The main opposition party also objected to a G.A. Department notification that referred to Bijayananda Patnaik instead of Biju Patnaik, despite the long-standing use of the term Biju Babu for official purposes.
The party insisted that the legacy of Biju Babu should be respected and upheld by all governments, regardless of political affiliation.
“Thus, we call upon the Hon'ble Governor to intervene and compel the Government to promptly reverse its executive order, restoring the faith of over four and a half crore Odias in the enduring legacy of the esteemed freedom fighter, Biju Babu,” the BJD urged.
