Odisha Assembly Proceedings Halted by Opposition Protests Over Paddy Procurement
The Odisha Legislative Assembly in Bhubaneswar witnessed significant turmoil on Wednesday as members from both the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress parties launched coordinated protests. The demonstrations centered on allegations of severe mismanagement in paddy procurement operations across the state, creating chaotic scenes that forced Speaker Surama Padhy to adjourn proceedings multiple times throughout the day.
Chaotic Scenes Force Repeated Adjournments
As soon as the House convened for the crucial question hour session, BJD legislators immediately rushed to the Well of the Assembly carrying placards and raising slogans. The protest intensified dramatically when Congress MLAs joined their opposition counterparts, creating a united front against the ruling BJP government. The combined opposition accused the administration of being fundamentally "anti-farmer" in its policies and implementation.
Speaker Surama Padhy made repeated appeals to the agitating members, urging them to return to their designated seats and allow parliamentary proceedings to continue normally. However, with her requests falling on deaf ears and the protests showing no signs of abating, she was compelled to first adjourn the House until 11:30 AM. When the Assembly reconvened, the protests resumed with equal vigor, forcing another adjournment until 4 PM. Ultimately, moments after the afternoon session began, the Speaker had no choice but to adjourn proceedings for the entire day.
Opposition Leaders Detail Procurement Grievances
Outside the Assembly premises, Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam explained his party's decision to protest inside the House. "The government is systematically failing to procure paddy from our farmers, which is forcing them into distress sales at significantly lower prices," Kadam stated emphatically. "We have raised this critical issue multiple times through proper parliamentary channels, but absolutely nothing has changed on the ground. We had no alternative but to resort to protest inside the Assembly until the government addresses these fundamental farmer concerns."
BJD MLA Byomakesh Ray echoed similar concerns, noting that his party had been flagging procurement problems for an extended period without receiving adequate government response. "The current administration is refusing to accept excess paddy production and has arbitrarily imposed a 150-quintal procurement cap per farmer," Ray explained. "This restriction exists despite there being no such provision in the official Food and Paddy Procurement Policy of Odisha. When farmers experience a bumper crop season, what exactly are they supposed to do with their surplus produce? The government has a moral and policy obligation to procure the entire stock to prevent farmer distress."
Ruling BJP Defends Procurement Process
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party strongly criticized the opposition parties for disrupting crucial parliamentary proceedings. BJP MLA Babu Singh defended the government's position, stating, "The question hour represents a vital opportunity to raise issues that genuinely matter to the people of Odisha. By disrupting this important democratic process, the opposition is failing in their parliamentary duties. The paddy procurement process is proceeding smoothly across the entire state according to established protocols and policies."
The political standoff highlights deepening tensions between the ruling BJP and opposition parties regarding agricultural policies in Odisha. With the state's farming community watching closely, the procurement issue has become a significant flashpoint in Odisha's political landscape, potentially affecting upcoming electoral dynamics in this agriculturally important region.
