Oppn's Panchayati Raj Divas protest leads to Assembly washout

The first day of the second phase budget session of Odisha Assembly was washed out as opposition BJD and Congress created a ruckus in the House over alleged disrespect shown to former chief minister Biju Patnaik by shifting the Panchayati Raj Divas from his birth anniversary on March 5 to April 24.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bhubaneswar

Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the House twice and finally till Monday when opposition members continued slogan shouting in the well. As soon as the House assembled for the day, BJD members rushed to the well alleging that the state government was trying to erase the legacy of Biju Patnaik.

BJD MLA Adhiraj Panigrahi and Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati attempted to climb the Speaker's podium and break the microphone there. The Speaker adjourned the House till noon and then till 4 pm. The BJD MLAs then held a dharna near Biju Patnaik's statue while the Congress members staged a demonstration near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Assembly premises.