Congress boycotts governor's address in Orissa assembly, tear copy

Opposition Congress today boycotted governor MC Bhandare's address to Orissa assembly and tore a copy of his speech terming it as a "fake story" prepared by the BJD government in the state.

The governor who stood to address the opening day of the third session of the 14th assembly, was first requested by leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh not to read out the speech prepared by the Naveen Patnaik-led government.

As the governor went on reading the speech, the Congress members shouted on top of their voice while the leader of opposition began a parallel speech.

"Stop it, stop it," Bhandare's appeal went unheeded by Congress members who walked out of the House in protest.

A Congress member was, later, seen tearing down a copy of the governor's speech.

Before walking out of the House, Singh lashed out at the state government for allegedly failing to make proper use of the central funds given under different welfare schemes.

Congress leaders also held the state government responsible for a series of suicide by farmers, multi-crore mining scam, sexual abuse of girls in tribal hostels and frail law and order situation in the state.

The Congress members, however, returned to the House after the governor completed his speech.