Odisha Assembly in chaos as BJP and Congress MLAs clash

Tara Prasad Bahinipati suspended for 7 days for ‘unruly’ behaviour

By A.K. Sahoo

Bhubaneswar, March 11: The Odisha Legislative Assembly witnessed unprecedented chaos on Tuesday as BJP and Congress MLAs clashed during question hour, leading to the suspension of Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati for seven days for “unruly” behavior and property damage. 

The disruption stemmed from Bahinipati’s repeated aggressive actions. On Monday, he had climbed onto the Speaker’s podium and broken the microphone. Despite warnings, he repeated the behavior on Tuesday, forcing Speaker Surama Padhy to impose the suspension. 

Tensions have been brewing since Monday, with Congress demanding action over the alleged rise in crimes against women and children in the past nine months. Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been pressing for clarification from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over BJP MLA Jayanarayan Mishra’s controversial remark. Mishra described Sambalpur’s accession to Odisha as a “historical blunder” and supported the formation of a separate state named Koshal, fueling political outrage. 

The situation escalated when Bahinipati again tried to climb onto the Speaker’s podium. Mishra rushed toward him, leading to a physical altercation between BJP and Congress legislators. Simultaneously, BJD members, also protesting over law and order issues, clashed with BJP lawmakers. Congress MLA Rajan Ekka and BJP’s Ashok Mohanty were seen in a heated scuffle, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling tried to intervene. 

Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the House initially until 12.00 pm and then to 12.10 pm. When the House reconvened, opposition members resumed their protest, forcing another adjournment until 4.00 pm. 

The political turmoil extended beyond the Assembly, with both BJP and opposition parties staging separate protest rallies. The incident has raised serious concerns over the increasing political hostility and the challenge of maintaining legislative decorum in the Odisha Assembly.

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Photograph: A screengrab capturing the chaos in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati is seen attempting to climb onto Speaker Surama Padhy’s podium and damage the microphone, amid heated exchanges between ruling BJP and opposition Congress members.