Odisha Assembly: 2 BJP MLAs suspended for throwing pulses at Speaker’s podium

By Subrat Sarangi

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 28: Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly, Pramila Mallick, on Thursday suspended two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs – Mohan Charan Majhi and Mukesh Mahaling – for allegedly throwing pulses at her podium.

According to ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) lawmaker and senior minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, BJP legislators were protesting at the well of the Assembly over ruling BJD leader Arun Sahoo’s alleged “mental disorder” remark against the Leader of the Opposition.

During the ruckus, the BJP legislators reportedly threw pulses at the Speaker’s podium. The pulses were reportedly carried by the legislators in polythene bags.

“The House expressed its concern over the action of the BJP lawmakers and subsequently action was initiated as per the Constitutional norms. They have been suspended for the remaining period of the current monsoon session of the Assembly,” said the Speaker Ms Mallik.

BJP MLA Mohan Charan Majhi, who is also his party’s chief whip in Assembly, denied the allegation of throwing pulses at the Speaker’s podium.

“The allegation of throwing pulses at the Speaker’s podium is false. It surprised me that the Speaker took the decision without seeing the visuals. I neither threw nor gifted pulses to her. I feel sad for having been suspended without any reason. The Speaker’s decision is unfortunate and I condemn it,” said Majhi.

When asked about the idea of gifting pulses to the Speaker, Majhi said, “When she (Pramila Mallik) was the women and child development minister in 2011, there were allegations of corruption in pulses distributed under the mid-day meal scheme. And since she is fond of ‘dal’,, pulses were brought to be given to her as a gift. However, before we gifted it to her, the treasury bench members charged that we threw the pulses at her podium to show us in poor light.”

Similarly, MLA Mahaling said, “When the Leader of Opposition (LoP) was not allowed to put forth his statement, his microphone was disconnected and he was disrespected, it is the right of the Opposition party to protest, be it inside or outside the House. So we protested. In 2011, the present Speaker who was then the women and child development minister was suspended from the cabinet for her involvement in pulses corruption; and since she likes ‘dal’ most, we wanted to gift it to her.”