Pandemonium in Orissa assembly over onion, farmers issue

Orissa assembly today witnessed uproar over onion price rise and rain-hit farmers' plight with the ruling BJD members storming the well demanding a censure motion against the Centre and opposition accusing the state government of shirking its responsibility.

The issue was first raised by Congress during zero hour with leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh hitting out at the BJD government accusing it of neglecting the farmers affected due to massive crop loss caused by untimely rains.

Terming the Rs900 crore package announced by the state as grossly inadequate, he said assistance to the peasants should be substantial. Singh was backed by opposition legislators who slammed the state government for being "insensitive" towards the farming community.

Countering the opposition, BJD's Pradip Maharathy demanded censure motion against UPA government at the Centre for allegedly ignoring Orissa's needs though it gave a package of Rs420 crore for rain-hit farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

BJD members later staged a dharna near Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the Assembly premises after storming into the well inside the House seeking a censure motion against the Centre.

Lashing out at ruling BJD, BJP legislature party leader KV Singhdeo said Naveen government should not shirk its responsibility in mitigating the plight of farmers.

He said over 60 truck onion are being sent out of the state from Titlagarh everyday at a time when its price had sky-rocketed but no step was taken to prevent it.

Andhra Pradesh was given a special package by the Centre as its leaders placed their demand forcefully by staging hunger strike and using other methods, while ruling BJD in Orissa is simply politicising the issue without taking any concrete step to get assistance, Singhdeo claimed.

Congress MLA Naba Das accused the state government of being insincere and insensitive towards the farmers' plight.

As heated exchanges persisted, speaker Pradip Kumar Amat adjourned the House first till 1255 hrs and then till 3 pm as BJD legislators stormed the well.

Though opposition had moved an adjournment motion on allotment of Lord Jagannath's land for the proposed Vedanta University, it could not be debated due to pandemonium by ruling BJD members.

Leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh told reporters outside the House that the uproar by BJD MLAs was aimed at diverting attention from the adjournment motion on land illegally allotted for Vedanta University in Puri district.

He also termed BJD's demand for censure motion against the Centre as a political gimmick.

Congress chief whip Prasad Harichandan lashed out at BJD for blaming the Centre for everything. Naveen government must realise that Andhra Pradesh managed to get a special package from the Centre as it sought assistance in a systematic manner by submitting a proper memorandum, he said.

Harichandan said Orissa was yet to get assistance as the state government failed to placed its requirement in a proper way.