BHUBANESWAR – Tension gripped the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Monday as opposition parties BJD and Congress staged fierce protests, halting proceedings yet again. The disruptions stemmed from allegations of massive irregularities in state mandis during paddy procurement and demands for debate on the Epstein files.
As Question Hour kicked off at 10:30 AM, BJD legislators stormed the well of the House, brandishing posters and chanting anti-government slogans right in front of the Speaker’s chair. They accused the BJP-led government of betraying farmers left in dire straits due to non-procurement of paddy and failure to ensure Minimum Support Price (MSP) payments.
Congress members joined the fray, creating pandemonium by insisting on an immediate discussion about the Epstein documents. Despite repeated pleas from Speaker Surama Padhi for the opposition to return to their seats and allow the House to function, the protests showed no signs of abating.
The chaos forced multiple adjournments throughout the day. Finally, with no end in sight, the Speaker adjourned the session until 4 PM. Outside the assembly, senior BJD leader Devi Shankar Mishra lambasted the government, vowing to intensify the fight for farmers’ rights.
“We are ashamed of the current state of affairs,” Mishra declared. “Democracy demands governance focused on the poorest, farmers, backward classes, and marginalized communities. This government has utterly failed to grasp the true meaning of welfare.”
He highlighted unfulfilled promises like 100 units of free electricity for farmers and hikes in MSP that never reached the ground. Rising costs of seeds, fertilizers, and other inputs have compounded farmers’ woes, with the government turning a blind eye, Mishra charged.
Looking ahead, BJD plans a massive protest rally in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday to amplify these grievances. The ongoing standoff underscores deepening political rifts in Odisha, where farmer distress has become a flashpoint ahead of key electoral battles. As the assembly remains paralyzed, questions mount over the government’s ability to address these pressing issues effectively.